THE WAKE (comic review)

August 29, 2014, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: FOG! Chats With Director Greg Franklin About Animating Johnny Ryan's PRISON PIT

≪ Previous: SGT. BILKO / THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW: THE COMPLETE SERIES Comes to DVD!

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By Ben Chapman

The Wake hit me in a way that I was not expecting.

I remember sitting in a panel at Emerald City Comic Con this year where writer Scott Snyder was talking about The Wake in great detail.

He said that this book was just a pet project for him and the artist Sean Murphy; that this was a title that they could take risks on and do things they had never done before.

Listening to him speak so passionately about the book made me really want to break my waiting-until-it-was-over-pact, but somehow I managed to make it until it was finished and won multiple Eisner awards.

After closing the last issue, for the second time, “Scott Snyder did it again” is what I muttered out loud to my silent apartment. I don’t think I have ever had a man crush as strong as I have for Scott Snyder.

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FOG! Chats With Director Greg Franklin About Animating Johnny Ryan's PRISON PIT

August 29, 2014, 3:00 pm

≫ Next: Win Kira Peikoff's New Thriller 'NO TIME TO DIE'

≪ Previous: THE WAKE (comic review)

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Interview conducted by Stefan Blitz

Hailed by The Comics Journal as a "perversely pure, single-minded commitment to vileness" and by VICE magazine as "important", Johnny Ryan's Prison Pit is an animated adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel Prison Pit:Book One. The stripped down, boundary-less tale of hulking monster men beating the crap out of each other is now available as an animated series from Los Angeles based studio, 6 Point Harness. FOG! was fortunate enough to chat briefly with series director Greg Franklin about adapting the beloved cult comic series.

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Win Kira Peikoff's New Thriller 'NO TIME TO DIE'

September 4, 2014, 7:00 am

≫ Next: Own TAMMY on Blu-ray Combo, DVD, & Digital HD on 11/11

≪ Previous: FOG! Chats With Director Greg Franklin About Animating Johnny Ryan's PRISON PIT

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Someone is out for blood—Zoe Kincaid’s blood. She’s a 20-year-old trapped in the body of a 14-year-old girl and her DNA could hold the secret of immortality. Could it be the Columbia University researchers who see her as the key to fame and tenure? The shadowy figure, known only as Galileo, who is kidnapping the world’s best researchers? The Justice Department head who seems a little too intent on getting her alone? Or the maniac who just fed a leading scientist to his chimpanzees?

Zoe knows that unlocking the secrets of genome could save her beloved grandfather, a retired physician and former Olympian who grows frailer by the day. Can she trust the rogue physician whose secret lair hides discoveries that might just save her grandfather? Heart-pounding twists just keep coming in Kira Peikoff’s stunning biomedical thriller, NO TIME TO DIE.

Science has barely begun to unlock the secrets written in our DNA. Researchers are relentlessly hunting for the answers to chronic diseases, cancer, rare disorders and the biggest mystery of them all—aging—but at what cost? Bioethicist Peikoff asks the most troubling scientific question of our time in this taut thriller: when does medicine cross the line?

And we're giving away a copy to a FOG! reader!

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Own TAMMY on Blu-ray Combo, DVD, & Digital HD on 11/11

September 4, 2014, 8:00 am

≫ Next: 40 Tremendous College Traditions

≪ Previous: Win Kira Peikoff's New Thriller 'NO TIME TO DIE'

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Blu-ray and HD Digital Download include an extended cut of the film you couldn’t see in theaters, Tammy’s Road Trip Checklist, Gag Reel, Deleted Scenes and More Fun Extras

After losing her job, husband and car in one day, Tammy Banks (Melissa McCarthy) wants out of her small town existence. With no money or transportation, her only way out is with her hard-partying grandmother, Pearl (Susan Sarandon). Their misadventures and brushes with the law lead them on a funny and heartfelt road trip to remember.

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40 Tremendous College Traditions

September 4, 2014, 9:00 am

≫ Next: Watch Robert Smeigel's Controversial "TV Funhouse" Short "Conspiracy Theory Rock"

≪ Previous: Own TAMMY on Blu-ray Combo, DVD, & Digital HD on 11/11

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Brandeis University's Liquid Latex Dance Show

Oh those wonderful days of college, where the school traditions get buried deep within the student body and the tales of such institutional folklore get passed down from generation to generation. In fact, when my own niece and nephews get a bit older (or I, a bit drunk in their presence) I plan to tell them all about their aunt's wonderful days of dropping out of some of the best colleges and universities that this country has to offer so that she could "Find Herself" (usually under-employed and bitching about it to anyone who would listen).

Yeah, that'll be awesome.

Check out some cool/interesting/weird college traditions (thanks to Mental Floss' List Show) after the break...it might bring back a few of your own memories of matriculating back in the day.

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Watch Robert Smeigel's Controversial "TV Funhouse" Short "Conspiracy Theory Rock"

September 4, 2014, 10:00 am

≫ Next: THE HEADS OF ADVERTISING: FIFTEEN PRODUCT MASCOT PORTRAITS BY DANA LECHTENBERG

≪ Previous: 40 Tremendous College Traditions

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Back in the late 90's Saturday Night Live's TV Funhouse shorts were the high point of any episode, but in 1998 one short, Conspiracy Theory Rock, was pulled from ever being aired again (after the initial viewing) for being somewhat controversial (or, "Not funny" if you believe Lorne Michael).

The short, a scathing commentary on the monopoly of big corporations (like GE and FOX) buying up small news agencies, may not seem like much of a fuss, but I'm sure GE (which owned NBC at the time) wasn't very pleased that a show it was footing the bill for was mocking it as being a gluttonous propaganda machine.

Conspiracy Theory Rock might have vanished from viewers minds but the legend of it has grown over the years, especially since it feels more apropos today than sixteen years ago.

Check it out after the break.

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THE HEADS OF ADVERTISING: FIFTEEN PRODUCT MASCOT PORTRAITS BY DANA LECHTENBERG

September 4, 2014, 11:00 am

≫ Next: THROWBACK THURSDAY (MUSIC VIDEO EDITION): Video Games by The Toons

≪ Previous: Watch Robert Smeigel's Controversial "TV Funhouse" Short "Conspiracy Theory Rock"

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If you happen to be in the Kansas City area on Friday September fifth, head over to the Reactor Design Studio (opening night reception is from 5-9) to check out some stupendously awesome art pieces that celebrate all your favorite childhood food and drink mascots.

QUISP!

Of course, if you can't make it due to your schedule or distance, don't fret, you can see more of Lechtenberg's artwork HERE (where you can also purchase directly from the artist).

If you are wondering just why a guy would spend his time creating portraits of food mascots, like a lot of people who were forever marked by the glorious icons of consumerism, Lechtenberg was influenced from a young age by the colorful packaging of sugary breakfast foods, "...When I was about nine or ten, I would go to the local grocery store with my mom, grab a brown paper bag from the big barrel of peanuts, sit in front of the cereal aisle, and draw the characters from the boxes...[and] the show is a just a chance to smile, maybe hum a jingle or two and think about these lovable guys whose sole mission was to get us to beg our parents to spend".

 For more of the mascots that will be in the show continue after the break...I'm pretty sure all of these will look great in the kitchen.

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THROWBACK THURSDAY (MUSIC VIDEO EDITION): Video Games by The Toons

September 4, 2014, 12:00 pm

≫ Next: The Early Days of Gay on Television

≪ Previous: THE HEADS OF ADVERTISING: FIFTEEN PRODUCT MASCOT PORTRAITS BY DANA LECHTENBERG

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How would you like to see an actual music video from back in the early days of MTV...you know, when the "Music" channel actually played videos and kids everywhere would rush home from school so they could see the same four or five videos played again and again?

Yeah, I thought so.

After the break you can see The Toons' video for Video Games...I don't remember this particular band (or song) so much but hell, it's got a good beat and you can dance to it and really, that's all you want outta life sometimes.

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The Early Days of Gay on Television

September 4, 2014, 1:00 pm

≫ Next: Time to Get Weird: UHF: 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION Blu & THE COMPLEAT AL On DVD Nov. 11th

≪ Previous: THROWBACK THURSDAY (MUSIC VIDEO EDITION): Video Games by The Toons

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For the fifth year in a row, Modern Family took home the top prize for best comedy at the Emmys.

This is an amazing triumph for any comedy, and well deserved considering the high standards of writing and the comic delivery of the talented cast.

At the heart of the show is Mitchell and Cameron, a couple who share the same ups and downs as any other couple with children, but just happen to be homosexual.

It may not seem it, but this is a huge jump for primetime. In the past, a gay character’s sexuality is usually the plot point, not their everyday struggles of finding a preschool or having another child.

Keep in mind that it wasn’t too long ago that the subject of a character’s sexuality was a primetime taboo. Discussion or even hinting that a character might be other than hetrosexual would result in loss of advertising, noisy protests and general small-minded nastiness towards the show, the actors and everyone involved.

It’s been a long struggle for the small screen to accept gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual characters as anything beyond comic relief, secondary characters or fleeting plot points.

Here are a few of those TV milestones that helped home audiences look beyond the stereotype.

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Time to Get Weird: UHF: 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION Blu & THE COMPLEAT AL On DVD Nov. 11th

September 4, 2014, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Forever My Superman: Remembering My Father

≪ Previous: The Early Days of Gay on Television

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Two Fan-Favorite “Weird Al” Yankovic Releases Available November 11th, 2014 from Shout! Factory

For nearly four decades, Grammy Award-winning musician and satirist "Weird Al" Yankovic has been entertaining audiences worldwide with his parodies of songs by the biggest stars in the musical universe, as well as his appearances on television and in film. On November 11, 2014, Shout! Factory will release two quintessential Weird Al titles: the cult favorite UHF: 25th Anniversary Edition as a collectible Blu-ray loaded with bonus features, and the mockumentary The Compleat Al on DVD.

Weird Al's latest album, Mandatory Fun, was released on July 15 and debuted at #1 Billboard, the first time in over 50 years that a comedy album has topped the charts.

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Forever My Superman: Remembering My Father

September 4, 2014, 8:57 pm

≫ Next: Life Will Find a Cosplay...

≪ Previous: Time to Get Weird: UHF: 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION Blu & THE COMPLEAT AL On DVD Nov. 11th

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It’s been a sad roller coaster these past few weeks in Blerd Vision-ville.

My father suddenly died Aug. 5 after a battle with cancer.

As expected, it’s been a heart-wrenching time of grief for my family and me.

I was named after my dad, who worked nights so that my mother could move forward in her career and so that he could raise my brother and me full time. His own father was killed when he was 2 years old. Because of that and other numerous family problems, I think ultimately my father wanted to create a family the way he believed it should be.

He picked us up from school, did the lion’s share of cooking and house cleaning. No wonder I don’t believe in housework as “women’s work.”

My father was my hero and inspiration in so many ways, and that includes my geek life.

My music and toy collections, my love of George Carlin, deification of John Coltrane and Miles Davis, and enjoyment of drawing and singing all have roots with my father.

He was the big kid with thousands of jazz and R&B albums, hardcore audiophile equipment, an assortment of electric trains, a love of The Day The Earth Stood Still, and the ability to draw Batman perfectly from a sticker.

These days, I’m hit with waves of memory. I consciously try to remember his voice, his face, the smell of his pipe tobacco.

I’d rather celebrate him, and sometimes I do, but I still mourn him. And that’s OK. This is the order of things.

And so the pop culture sinks in. Those TV and film moments of pop fatherhood that stick in my mind.

Maybe they’ll help me.

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Life Will Find a Cosplay...

September 4, 2014, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: 'BLOOD SPLATTERS QUICKLY: THE COLLECTED STORIES OF EDWARD D. WOOD, JR.' (review)

≪ Previous: Forever My Superman: Remembering My Father

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So far, 2014 has been a very bad year for childhood heroes.

We have lost such wonderful human beings as Rik Mayall, Roger Lloyd-Pack Robin Williams and Richard Attenborough.  Whether you were a fan or not, these folks brought joy to people all over the world which is something worth recognizing.

It truly is a shame to have lost such fine comedians, actors and humanitarians. But thankfully they will live on in our favorite movies and shows, never to be forgotten.

I recently rewatched every episode of the British ‘80s classic, Bottom to remember Rik Mayall at his best; Jumanji, Hook and The Fisher King in tribute to the late and great Robin Williams.

My most recent cinematic trip down memory lane was with one of my favourite movies of all time, Jurassic Park.   In remembrance of the talented Mr. Attenborough, here are my top dinosaur cosplays.

Jurassic Park forever!

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'BLOOD SPLATTERS QUICKLY: THE COLLECTED STORIES OF EDWARD D. WOOD, JR.' (review)

September 4, 2014, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Holiday Wish List Alert: SHERLOCK: THE COMPLETE SEASONS 1-3

≪ Previous: Life Will Find a Cosplay...

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Review by David E. Goldweber

Filmmaker Stephen Apostolof, in an interview included on Rhino's Orgy of the Dead DVD, admitted that Ed Wood had "no concept" about directing films but insisted that Wood was a good writer.

Could Apostolof be right?  Watching Plan 9 from Outer Space, we might debate whether Wood was any good at writing screenplays.

But now, reading Wood's short stories in Blood Splatters Quickly, we'll be forced to agree that the guy at least was good at producing slick pulp fiction.

Wood's stories are being collected in a single 300+page volume: Blood Splatters Quickly: The Collected Stories of Edward D. Wood, Jr. from OR Books, with a helpful introduction by Bob Blackburn, longtime friend of Wood's widow, Kathy.

Most of these stories have never been reprinted since they initially appeared back in 1969-1974.

There are 33 stories total, each running approximately 2000 words.


As we learn from the introduction - and as Wood fans should already know - Wood turned to writing in the early 1960s after failing as a film director.  He sold a few screenplays (most notably Orgy of the Dead and One Million AC/ DC) but could scarcely pay his bills, so he eventually churned out a series of pulp stories to sell to Bernie Bloom, publisher of Pendulum Publishing's girlie magazines.  The magazines have long been forgotten, but now the stories have new life.

So how are the stories?

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Holiday Wish List Alert: SHERLOCK: THE COMPLETE SEASONS 1-3

September 4, 2014, 6:00 pm

≫ Next: Win IN THE AFTERLIGHT and a Complete Set of THE DARKEST MINDS Series

≪ Previous: 'BLOOD SPLATTERS QUICKLY: THE COLLECTED STORIES OF EDWARD D. WOOD, JR.' (review)

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“This is TV pleasure at its most intense, without even a shade of guilt.”  – USA Today

Sherlock Holmes was always a modern man in an old world. Now he's back as he should be: edgy, difficult and dangerous, as Benedict Cumberbatch shows him in a new, contemporary light. Sherlock can tell a software designer by his tie and an airline pilot by his thumb. He has a uniquely analytical brain unlike anyone else in the world – a man who staves off boredom by solving crimes. When a chance encounter brings soldier John Watson (Freeman) into Sherlock's life, it's apparent the two men couldn't be more different, but Sherlock's intellect coupled with John's pragmatism soon forge an unbreakable alliance.

Across three thrilling, scary, action-packed and highly-entertaining seasons, Sherlock and John navigate a maze of cryptic clues and lethal killers to get at the truth.

With sparkling scripts and unforgettable performances, this is a contemporary take on the classic Arthur Conan Doyle stories for a new generation. The finale of season three, “His Last Vow,” recently earned seven Primetime Emmy Award wins including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for Benedict Cumberbatch, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for Martin Freeman, and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special for Steven Moffat.

This holiday season, there is one gift that is sure to be on every Sherlock fan’s wish list: Sherlock: The Complete Seasons 1-3 Limited Edition Gift Set, including a brand new bonus disc that features never-before-seen footage, new commentary from Season Three, and interview footage never before released on disc. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch (The Hobbit films, Star Trek Into Darkness) and Martin Freeman (The Hobbit films, Fargo) as the crime-solving duo of Holmes and Watson, the first ever box set of the Emmy Award winning PBS MASTERPIECE series will appear in stores November 4, 2014 from BBC Home Entertainment.

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Win IN THE AFTERLIGHT and a Complete Set of THE DARKEST MINDS Series

September 4, 2014, 7:00 pm

≫ Next: Marvel Studios Releases An Interview The Russo Brothers For The Blu-ray/DVD Release Of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

≪ Previous: Holiday Wish List Alert: SHERLOCK: THE COMPLETE SEASONS 1-3

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This week, the e-book novella, Sparks Rise (The Darkest Minds: 2.5) was released, leading up to the riveting TheDarkest Minds trilogy conclusion on October 28th, with the highly-anticipated third novel, In the Afterlight, about survival and love in a terrifying future America from author Alexandra Bracken.


ABOUT IN THE AFTERLIGHT

Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. Only Ruby can keep their highly dangerous prisoner in check. But with Clancy Gray, there's no guarantee you're fully in control, and everything comes with a price.

When the Children's League disbands, Ruby rises up as a leader and forms an unlikely allegiance with Liam's brother, Cole, who has a volatile secret of his own. There are still thousands of other Psi kids suffering in government "rehabilitation camps" all over the country. Freeing them--revealing the governments unspeakable abuses in the process--is the mission Ruby has claimed since her own escape from Thurmond, the worst camp in the country.

But not everyone is supportive of the plan Ruby and Cole craft to free the camps. As tensions rise, competing ideals threaten the mission to uncover the cause of IANN, the disease that killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others with powers the government will kill to keep contained. With the fate of a generation in their hands, there is no room for error. One wrong move could be the spark that sets the world on fire.


ABOUT SPARKS RISE (The Darkest Minds: 2.5 e-Book release)

Available online September 2, 2014

This New eBook Novella connects the last two novels in The Darkest Minds trilogy.

Sam didn't think things could get worse at Thurmand rehabilitation camp. Then the Reds arrive. Everyone assumed the kids with firepower had been killed years ago. Instead they were taken away, brainwashed, and returned as terrifyingly effective guards.

To her horror, Sam recognizes one of them: Lucas, the one spark of light in Sam's dark childhood.

Lucas has a deadly secret--he beat the brutal training that turned his fellow Reds into mindless drones.

When Sam defends herself against an attack by a vile PSF guard and faces a harrowing punishment, Lucas must risk his everything to save her.


And we're giving away a prize package where one FOG! reader will receive a complete set of The Darkest Minds series, plus a $25 Visa gift card for forging their own destiny!

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Marvel Studios Releases An Interview The Russo Brothers For The Blu-ray/DVD Release Of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

September 4, 2014, 8:00 pm

≫ Next: ANIMATION GEEK: A Love Story In 7 Chapters by Bahij Jaroudi

≪ Previous: Win IN THE AFTERLIGHT and a Complete Set of THE DARKEST MINDS Series

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Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the second chapter in the thrilling Captain America movie franchise. The exhilarating story follows Marvel’s First Avenger, Captain America, along with Black Widow and their new ally The Falcon as they battle their most mysterious and powerful enemy yet, the Winter Soldier.

With the blockbuster superhero movie about to be released on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD, we catch up with the directing team of brothers Joe and Anthony Russo to find out about their experience on the iconic Marvel project…

What makes Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier stand out from other Marvel movies?

Joe: I think it is the level of realism and intensity that makes this movie stand out. Up to this point, I think Marvel films have really embraced the fantasy component, but we have tried to infuse it with intensity and edge. It’s aggressive. We wanted a movie that would grab you and wouldn’t let go until the end. Hopefully we’ve accomplished that and I think that’s what distinguishes it from other Marvel movies.

How did you accomplish this?

Joe: We talked to Marvel early on and said, “People will tell you that they love chocolate ice cream, but if all you give them is chocolate ice cream, sooner or later they’ll get sick of it.” We wanted to throw a curveball and add something to their toolbox going forward that they could use to diversify and dimensionalize the universe.

Why was it so important for you to ground the action in reality?

Anthony: The movie is set in the political genre and that world is exciting because it has stakes that feel real to you. We were trying to play on a lot of our contemporary anxieties in the storytelling and the realisms flowed from that. This movie has a darker tone and it needs real stakes. That’s what drove us.

How difficult was the challenge of adding more realism to the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Joe: Well, I was ecstatic as any fan on the planet when I saw what Kevin Feige was doing with The Avengers. I’ve always thought in my own head, ‘How do you pull off an Avengers movie?’ How do you get past so many logistical and financial reasons that mean this movie shouldn’t exist? It’s a real feat, and he pulled it off. If you knew how complicated it is behind-the-scenes to make a movie like that, you’d be amazed. You want the comfort food of that idea, but I think that in order for these movies to keep growing and staying interesting, they have to shift; the tone has to shift. We have to experiment with different flavors…

Anthony: Like Pistachio!

Joe:…To keep it fresh. Hopefully, that’s what we’ve hopefully done with this movie.

What was your biggest challenge in directing the movie?

Joe: The choreography of the action is intense and it’s a very protracted process. It takes a lot of prep and you’re working with a lot of people. Thankfully, we were working with really talented people; from our stunt coordinators to our VFX department to our special effects guys – everybody was the best in the business. Marvel attracts the crème de la crème of talent in the business.

Was it easier to step into a film where most of the characters have been pre-established in earlier Marvel movies?

Joe: We come from television shows like Community and Arrested Development. We always say that after two episodes, the actor knows the character better than we ever will. In that sense, it’s easy to rely on the actor to bring truth to the character. It’s great for us because it’s like a short hand where they can show up with the characters already in place. We just worry about the arcs and the tone of the film. It takes a lot of burden off directing the performance and allows you to focus on the bigger picture of the movie.

How did you balance technology with real sets on Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier?

Anthony: We wanted to be very careful with that on this film. The level of realism was important to us and it was something that Marvel really embraced. It was a challenge to render the world and the effects in a way that felt very grounded and real world.

Joe: It’s an execution thing. We had a sequence on a freeway and we could have gone to a back-lot and built a little stretch of freeway and green-screened it. But, instead of that, we went to our hometown and got in a lot of trouble for shutting down the freeway for two weeks. We were able to shoot and execute a lot of those stunts practically and I think that enhances your experience because you can feel those things happening for real.

How did it feel to shoot in your hometown, Cleveland?

Joe: It was awesome to be able to go home and shoot. It’s a town that we love and know really well. Not only were we able to share this town with the crew, but also it was easier for us to find locations. We know where everything is, so we could quickly explain to the crew where certain locations could be shot. We understood how to shoot the town because it was the third movie that we had shot there. Also, it was fantastic to have our family around as a support system when you’re working on something of this scale.

Robert Redford was a stellar addition to the cast of Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. What was it like to direct such an iconic actor?

Joe: It was amazing.

Anthony: Amazing!

Joe: We couldn’t say enough about him as an individual, and as an actor. He’s truly a renaissance man. He’s like a prince of a human being. And we’re children of the 1970s and of 1970s films, so we’ve seen everything he’s done. I’ve seen Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid a million times. To be able to work with him was the highlight of our career.

Robert Redford is a distinguished director, as well as an accomplished actor. Did he offer his directorial input into the movie?

Joe: He is so easy-going and balanced and his knowledge base is incredible. He will offer input or advice when he feels it’s necessary, but he’s never overbearing with it.

Anthony: He’s very respectful and he’s just a lovely man. It was really a privilege to work with him.

What makes the Winter Soldier the perfect villain for the movie?

Joe: It’s a gift to have The Winter Soldier in our movie; it’s a real gift. The genius of [Ed] Brubaker’s comic run is that he took Captain America’s best friend and turned him into the villain. They always say that your hero is only as good as your villain. And, when the hero has so much emotional turmoil in his relationship with the villain, you can’t ask for better storytelling. We were gifted with a great story arc between Captain America and the Winter Soldier. That’s another reason why I think the movie skews darker, too. It’s very rare that you find a villain who has such a strong emotional connection to the hero and where the stakes are so high.

Anthony: It’s very complicated.

Joe: We said to them that this is Star Wars. You know, it’s Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.

In your opinion, can any woman replace Peggy Carter in Captain America’s life?

Joe: Hayley Atwell did a fantastic job with that role. She’s very charming and beautiful.

Anthony: And that was certainly an issue that Cap was dealing with in this movie.

Joe: And it’s how to reconcile that in his life.

Anthony: But the relationships are very important in the movie in general. His relationship with Natasha [Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson] is very important in this film. And his relationships with Fury [Samuel L. Jackson] and The Falcon [Anthony Mackie] are also important.

How challenging was it to come up with a new design for Captain America’s costume in the film?

Joe: The execution of the costumes is a critical and key component for us in the movies. It’s based on our style and our tone and what we like. Again, with everything based in realism, we wanted the costume to be Kevlar-based. We wanted to make sure that the costume had a very functional purpose. That way, when he wears it and you look at him in it, you say “Oh, that’s to stop bullets. I understand.”

Would you say that the costume is as true-to-life as possible?

Joe: Captain America is a stealth operative for S.H.I.E.L.D in this movie, which is another factor that pointed us in a direction for the design of the costume. If the character is working in darkness and in clandestine operations, he can’t wear a target on his chest. He needs to move around in the shadows. We drew upon the more recent versions of the outfit from the comics.

How did your knowledge of comic books inform your directing style?

Anthony: It was most important in terms of the approach to the character and in terms of the version of Captain America we wanted to show in the movie. We didn’t want to get caught up in the boy-scout version; we really wanted to butch up the character. We wanted to bring him into the modern day and make him a man’s man that we could relate to. His virtues are like Rocky Balboa’s in the sense that he has a very simple goal and very fixed virtues. However, he’s unbreakable too, and that’s what is fun about him. In this movie, it was our job to think, ‘Ok, how are we going to break him?’ That’s very much how we approached the film.

After the jump find out the details of how you can meet the directors of Captain America: The Winter Soldier this Tuesday, September 9th at Amoeba Music in Hollywood!

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ANIMATION GEEK: A Love Story In 7 Chapters by Bahij Jaroudi

September 5, 2014, 7:00 am

≫ Next: The Science Of Power Ups: Fire Flower

≪ Previous: Marvel Studios Releases An Interview The Russo Brothers For The Blu-ray/DVD Release Of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

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There are endless books, movies, songs and poems all dedicated to the pursuit and keeping of love (not to mention the ending of it as well), but if you want to boil it down to just the essentials (kind of like a homeopathic remedy) than this very sweet animated ode to the relationship is probably as bare bones as one will ever get. In just two-and-a-half minutes Bahij Jaroudi has managed to sum up the entirety of a relationship that, if I'm being frank here, is pretty spot on...especially the part about waiting for death.

Yep, all married couples look forward to that part.

Animation after the break.

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The Science Of Power Ups: Fire Flower

September 5, 2014, 8:00 am

≫ Next: FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Yuppies Learn the Power of Atari Game Pole Position

≪ Previous: ANIMATION GEEK: A Love Story In 7 Chapters by Bahij Jaroudi

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If you've ever wanted to understand the science behind your favorite Mario Power Ups, wonder no more. Thanks to some exhausting scientific research (and more than a few volunteer deaths) the awesome power behind the Fire Flower is finally known.

Of course, none of this will affect the real world and the depressing issues that plague us as a species, but at least your video game question has been answered.

Video after the break.

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Yuppies Learn the Power of Atari Game Pole Position

September 5, 2014, 9:00 am

≫ Next: LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES: David Lynch's Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted

≪ Previous: The Science Of Power Ups: Fire Flower

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The other day I was trying to remember the last time I was really excited about anything and frankly, I think it was the glorious summer of 1984 when the season was packed with the kind of movies that would make a nostalgia addict piss their pants (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Ghostbusters, Gremlins, The Karate Kid, The Lsst Starfighter, The Muppets Take Manhattan, Revenge of the Nerds, Purple Rain, Red Dawn, Sheena...) but I have to say that in 1983 I did experience a certain jump in the emotional scale when the game Pole Position was released for the Atari 2600 (trust me when I say this game was the shit, it even had a cartoon about it, complete with a killer theme song) and it just so happened to land in my hands.

I can't really explain why this game was so fucking awesome or why some thirty odd  years later I still smile when I think of running my brother's car off the road and into a sign, blowing it up...All The Damn Time...but I do and if you mention this game to anyone in their 40s (who happened to have played it) I'm pretty sure that they too will drift backward in time to remember they carnage they left on the road in the early 80s.

Oh, and it didn't hurt that the commercial for the game was crazy as fuck.

Yep, those were the good ole days.

Commercial after the break.

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LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES: David Lynch's Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted

September 5, 2014, 10:00 am

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My brother called me the other day to say that he was re-watching Twin Peaks after a two decade hiatus and completely forgot about the scene where Leland Palmer throws himself onto his daughter's casket at the funeral. When it happened, he laughed uncontrollably for about ten minutes. We're talking the dry heaving, stomach grabbing kind of laughing that makes you need a nap afterward.

After he recovered from his exhausting guffaw, he told me that he had forgotten how weird David Lynch was and how frakking awesome seeing this show was back when TV was a smorgasbord of boring sitcoms and forgettable dramas (although, to be fair, he did admit that the second season was lost on him). We reminisced about Bob, Sherilyn Fenn and how we totally would have bought Nadine's silent drape runners had the patent office been more pleasant to her. 

It was a good talk between siblings that for once didn't end in name-calling and fighting over who mom loves more.

So, this weird-ass David Lynch play (?) starring Laura Dern, Nic Cage, The Man From Another Planet, Michael J. Anderson and the etheral-voiced Julee Cruise is for my brother.

May it be as weird to you as it was for me...Love Ya!

Movie/play after the break.

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