DARK DISNEY: Ruin Someone's Childhood With These Incredibly Evil Disney Characters

June 22, 2012, 4:30 pm

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The Disney Empire is built upon the idea that childhood is a magical time in a person's life which should be glorified through merchandising and that large cartoon characters are not creepy pedophiles when they inappropriately touch kids who come up to hug them at their theme parks.

 But I have to say that there is an element of weirdness surrounding the characters: Donald Duck (no pants ever), Goofy (WTF is he?), Pluto (he's a dog taking orders from a mouse), Mickey (What did he do to Oswald?), etc.

 And this mystery takes an interesting turn in Serbian illustrator Darko Kreculj's interpretation of the World's favorite cartoon heroes.

I imagine that once the fake smiles disappear after work and the bottles of Whiskey are opened, this is how Mickey and the Gang get their freak on:
 

Pluto

Minnie Mouse

Pete

Donald Duck

Goofy

Mickey Mouse

Source: Design Taxi

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THE PROTOTYPE Has Been Built In This New Teaser Trailer

June 22, 2012, 5:00 pm

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After having a lot of success with Act of Valor, production company The Bandito Brothers is moving in a more sci-fi direction with The Prototype.

The story follows a humanoid robot who escapes from the government control and then goes rogue. Now he's out in the streets and the only thing the government can do is try to shut it down in any way possible.

The project was written and directed by Andrew Will and stars Neal McDonough, Joseph Mawle, and Anna Anissimova as the main characters. This is just a teaser trailer, but I think it looks pretty complete. Maybe this is actually just test footage edited together well. It looks interesting so watch it.

ALAN MOORE Says Bah To Adaptations By Others, Makes His Own Movies Instead

June 22, 2012, 5:30 pm

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Alan Moore doesn't like people messing around with his work, especially when it comes to things being adapted to go on the big screen. Now he's decided that he'll do it himself and make his own original movies with Mitch Jenkins, a longtime friend and collaborator.

In the past Moore has refused to be a part of any adaption. Even though From Hell, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, V for Vendetta, and Watchmen have each had success, he has never let his name be a part of any of those projects.

The "occult" or "noir flecked" short films will be part of a larger series called Show Pieces. Episode one, called Act of Faith has already finished shooting, and Jimmy's End will start later this summer. Moore is responsible for writing the episodic narrative while Jenkins does the hard part and brings the projects into the real world. 

The two episodes will be shown together at a debut event for The Creator's Project in New York. Depending on how well those two mini shows are received will determine how long the project is expanded.

CHUCKY The Killer Doll Is Back

June 25, 2012, 6:00 am

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Universal is rebooting Child's Play with plans for a fifth sequel to the horror franchise that started in 1988. Don Mancini, the writer, director, and creator of the series will return to work on Curse of Chucky which is planned to start shooting in September up in Winnipeg, Canada.

With plans to go straight to DVD, the new film will have Chucky attacking a family that has regrouped for a funeral. Unlike the previous films which have had a bit of humor, the new film will focus much more on making a scary series about the psychotic doll. We also hear that there are some "very disturbing slaughter scenes planned."

The reboot has been talked about for quite a while and everyone involved wants to see a darker, frightening film rather than the past two campy Chucky films. Brad Dourif will be reprising his voice role, but no other casting has been talked about yet. While there are many other roles including a handicapped heroine, the big name of this film is about the little killer.

KEANU REEVES Shows Off Test Footage From MAN OF TAI CHI

June 25, 2012, 6:30 am

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Keanu Reeves is working on his directorial debut with Man of Tai Chi. Today we see what the fight scenes might look like. He's been working with the new Iris system from Bot & Dolly which allows for the camera to go inside the fights and capture something that hasn't been seen in real life. Twitch found this clip of the concept footage and behind the scenes of testing. Shooting has started in Hong Kong with this being just test footage, we might see something similar when the film comes out.

IRON MAN 3 Gain A Poster Loses Andy Lau

June 25, 2012, 7:00 am

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Last month it was reported that Andy Lau was taking a role in Iron Man 3, but now we are hearing that he's had to pull out of the project which originally had him playing a scientist and ally of Tony Stark whose daughter is kidnapped.

His reason, his wife is due with their first child in early May. There are still no major names being talked about to take the now open role, Chinese actors Chen Daoming and Wu Xiubo were mentioned as frontrunners. They need an a Chinese actor that is over the age of 40 and has strong English skills to play the scientist role.

Although the loss of a potential big name, there is this new low resolution poster to look at. It comes as part of a bigger banner that featured other Disney titles like Planes and Monsters University. It doesn't show anything spectacular, but I think Tony has a slightly different suit this time. I could be wrong though.

ANDREW GARFIELD Talks About His Swinging Role In THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN

June 25, 2012, 7:30 am

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The Amazing Spider-Man is less than 10 days away now. So here is what is probably the final featurette for the film. This one focuses all on Peter Parker/Spider-Man played by Andrew Garfield. Martin Sheen plays his Uncle Ben and Sally Fields has the role as his Aunt May. Denis Leary plays George Stacy, the father of his crush Gwen Stacy, who is played by Emma Stone.

Peter takes on The Lizard in this film. The character wasn't always a bad guy, Rhys Ifans plays Curt Connors, a man that worked with Peter's father and is working on a new formula which changes him into the beastly Lizard when he decides it's a good idea to test it on himself.

The clip has a bit of new footage and Andrew Garfield talking about his role

What's Going To Hapen In KICK ASS 2?

June 25, 2012, 8:00 am

≫ Next: TAKASHI MIIKE Executes HARA-KIRI: DEATH OF A SAMURAI In This New Trailer

≪ Previous: ANDREW GARFIELD Talks About His Swinging Role In THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN

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Kick-Ass 2 has been in the works ever since the second volume of the comic book series came out. Now before it goes in front of the cameras, we hear what Jeff Wadlow's directed sequel will be about and a few plot points and character arcs.

Although some characters from the original won't be back, we can still expect to see Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in the starring roles. We also hear that Garrett M. Brown might be starring as the father of the character Dave. The sequel will also be adding the character of Uncle Ralph, a crook and the guardian of Red Mist/Chris.

The story for the sequel sees the hero's identity almost discovered with both Dave and Mindy coming dangerously close to being found out.

While Kick-Ass' identity is only really known by one person other than himself, Hit-Girl is widely known to be Mindy. In the follow-up she is a large focus of the film as she goes into a school and is constantly made fun of, she takes it for a while, ultimately she turns one of the mean girl followers into a good friend.

Don't worry though, Hit-Girl doesn't just let things go by. She gets brilliant and sweet revenge in a rather brilliant way. Apparently the three things involved in her plan are gadgets, vomiting, and begging. Yep, she's still bad-ass.

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TAKASHI MIIKE Executes HARA-KIRI: DEATH OF A SAMURAI In This New Trailer

June 25, 2012, 8:30 am

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Takashi Miike has been hard at work on Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, and now the first trailer has hit the web for all to enjoy. Based on the original film from 1964 by director Masaki Kobayashi, the 13 Assassins' helmer will tell the story about a samurai who returns to his home to commit an honorable suicide after he turns out to be just an elder, poor man. 

Koji Yakusho stars along with Eita and Hikari Mitsushima. The film will his theaters in New York and LA on July 20th with a VOD release onf July 18th.

BOOB TUBE: MTV Gets A Date For INBETWEENERS, MARILYN MANSON Goes To Californication, Plus, TENNANT And WATSON Join The POLITICIANS, And JESSICA LANGE'S Role in AHS Is...

June 25, 2012, 9:00 am

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JESSICA LANGE'S Is A Nun On AMERICAN HORROR STORY

Jessica Lange is already coming back to American Horror Story, but with a completely different role for the second season. In the new setting of the 1960's East Coast asylum, she is cast as an administrator, which has been announced earlier, but now writer Tim Minear has said that she will be playing a nun, or a  bride of Christ. Lange returns with other season one actors like Zachary Quinto, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and Lily Rabe. Lange says her character “is very different from what I’ve played."

NEXT CALLER Loses WOLé PARKS

Dane Cook has been working on his NBC comedy Next Caller, but the show is losing one of the original cast members today. Wolé Parks won't be staring in the show due to what they are saying is a creative decision. Parks played Keith Calhoun in the pilot which follows a public radio host and feminist who gets a dream job in New York only to find out that her co-host is a sexist pig. Cook is set to play the co-host and is cast along with Ryan Devlin and Jeffrey Tambor.

MARILYN MANSON Joins The Cast Of CALIFORNICATION

Showtime has a hit with Californication and now they are adding some big names for the seventh season. In the half-hour dark comedy, the metal rocker will play himself for one episode. In the seventh episode of the season the musician will meet David Duchovny's character Hank Moody when he goes to Atticus Fetch's house.

DAVID TENNANT & EMILY WATSON In THE POLITICIAN'S HUSBAND

BBC2 is bringing The Politician's Husband to the small screen and now they have cast David Tennant and Emily Watson in the key roles as a husband an wife in the three-part series. The show is a follow-up to the 1995 The Politician's Wife that starred Minnie Driver. The new story directed by Simon Cellan Jones of Treme and The Borgias, focuses on a political marriage and what happens when a wife is more successful than her husband. Shooting will start this month.


MTV Gives THE INBETWEENERS An Official Start Date

MTV is hoping that the adaptation of The Inbetweeners will be as popular as the British series was. The show now has an official premiere date of Monday, August 20th, at 10:30 PM. The US version follows Joey Pollari, Bubba Lewis, Zack Pearlman, Mark L. Young, and Alex Frnka as a group of teens who are getting ready to leave high school and enter the real world known as adulthood.

Watch The Docu NWR, It's All About NICOLAS WINDING REFN

June 25, 2012, 9:30 am

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Nicolas Winding Refn is a busy man, right now he has multiple projects he's working on including Only God Forgives, I Walk With The Dead, a Maniac Cop prequel, Barbarella for TV, and he's probably had a few talks about the sequel to Drive.

So with so many projects, what does he need? A documentary. But at least he didn't have to work on this one. Laurent Duroch directed this one-hour docu called NWR, With plenty of input from Refn, along with many of his co-workers, colleagues, and actors. Names like Ryan Gosling, Alejandro Jodorowsky, and Mad Mikkelsen show up along with Gaspar Noé, Zlatko Buric and more.

The film goes through his earlier films like Pusher and Bronson all the way through Drive, and Only God Forgives. Refn talks about his latest film saying "It's based on real emotions, but set in a heightened reality. It's a fairy tale." He then added, "I wanted to do a Western, a straight up gangster movie after Valhalla Rising, But all that changed."

You can watch the entire documentary right here, it's a little over an hour long, so you might want to make sure you got some time. 



NWR (Nicolas Winding Refn) by Flixgr

Microsoft Surface and OS Convergence

June 25, 2012, 10:00 am

≫ Next: AMAZON STUDIOS Gives Extensions To Magic Monkeys, Plaid Sheep, The End Of The World, And Hell

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Microsoft has finally released their own tablet, the Surface.  

Google is expected to announce their own tablet very soon.  

Apple, obviously, has already been dominating with the iPad.  

Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS has been out for some time, though not very successful yet, and Google’s Android OS has been out much longer, and is very successful.

Android tablets have existed, but no Google branded tablet has yet existed.

Is this the Google Tablet?

Microsoft and Google have taken similar approaches to their mobile operating systems.  They make the OS, and license it to hardware vendors.  It’s the model that’s worked for Microsoft Windows for decades of PC domination.

Apple though, has taken a different approach.  They make the hardware and the software, and that approach has led Apple to stratospheric heights of success.

Does the impending Google tablet and Microsoft Surface indicate that Google and Microsoft are going to take a stab at Apple-style control?



I think so.  But it appears that other hardware vendors will still be able to license operating systems from Google and Microsoft.

But will Google and Microsoft draw a line in the sand at some point?  What if this expected new Google tablet runs some new kind of Android OS that Google will not license to other manufacturers?

It’s worth noting that Microsoft’s Surface tablets both run Windows 8, not the Windows Phone OS, though visually, they are all very similar because they are united by the Metro UI.

The Surface

Apple’s iOS and OS X seem to be on a similar path of convergence.

But right now, Microsoft seems to be the only one that is blazing that trail in a crystal clear way.  Apple is as well, though it’s more subtle.

Google’s offerings however are far more chaotic.

Not only is there Android, but there are Android “skins” that phone and manufacturers use to differentiate themselves from each other.  Google also has their Chrome OS, which was originally designed for netbooks, but, as I fully expected when Chrome OS was first announced, it is now a desktop offering as well.  I really have to wonder if Google is going to reign it in and start converging Android and Chrome OS into something that is more unifying.

But is mobile/desktop unification even the right path?

As it stands now, iOS wouldn’t be great for a desktop, and OS X wouldn’t be great for a tablet.  But both are slowly merging user interface features.

Microsoft really is fully all-in with this philosophy.

While there will be different versions of Windows 8, and Windows Phone 8, all share the Metro UI.  Xbox is in the Metro mix as well.  Its makes sense.

Apple is probably going to arrive in the same place, once OS X 10.9 has come and gone.

iPad, duh

Google seems far behind though.  Chrome OS, Android, Android skins... it’s a mess.

Regardless, what will phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops look like in 5 years time?  Are we going to see Google and Microsoft transform into Apple clones?  Will Google and Microsoft be selling their own phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, all with a unified OS experience?

What does this mean for Dell, HP, Lenovo, HTC, Samsung, Nokia, and others?  Will there be a top tier of computers and devices that are made by Microsoft, Google, and, Apple?  And then a lower tier of devices made by everyone else, with Microsoft and Google operating systems licensed?

Do Google and Microsoft have the same special sauce, sense of simplicity, and discipline that Apple has?

Time will tell, but one thing is for certain.

Personal computing changed forever, by Apple, with the first iPhone.  It could be decades before there is another paradigm-shift of that magnitude.

AMAZON STUDIOS Gives Extensions To Magic Monkeys, Plaid Sheep, The End Of The World, And Hell

June 25, 2012, 10:30 am

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Amazon Studios has picked up 4 new series in a new deal that will give each of the shows a $10,000 option extension. The show include a comedy about a Hell, Something about a magic monkey, a kids show about a plaid sheep, and end of the world mockumentary.

Here's the information on the shows from the announcement.

The 100 Deaths of Mort Grimley
Creator: Angel Castillo
Premise: In this animated comedy, Hell desperately needs new customers. And Mort Grimley, new to the Underworld after accidentally taking his own life, is offered a deal; get Hell’s numbers up and maybe get a transfer out (and up), or face eternity in fire and brimstone alongside the cruel mother he tried to escape.

Doomsday
Creator: Nathan Thomas
Premise: This mockumentary follows an ensemble of diverse characters as they ready themselves for the supposed end of the world — including the guru who made the doomsday prediction.

Magic Monkey Billionaire
Creator: Diana Wright
Premise: When their wealthy magician owner suddenly dies, his two animal assistants — Rabbit and Monkey — are shocked to learn that Monkey alone has been left his billions, soon unleashing the ultimate forces of good and evil as former friends turn to arch enemies.The children’s project is:

Buck Plaidsheep
Creators: Frank Suarez (artist) and Clark Stubbs (writer)
Premise: Buck Plaidsheep chronicles the adventures of a courageous little critter named Buck. Whenever there’s a problem on Fleecy Farm, Buck races full-speed into action in one of his souped-up vehicles. And although things may not always go as planned, it’s Buck’s “never give up” attitude that makes him the sheep that always saves the day!

Damning with Faint Praise: TRUE LEGEND

June 25, 2012, 11:00 am

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This 2010 martial arts movie from Yuen Woo-Ping (The Matrix trilogy, Kill Bill volumes 1 and 2; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; and Hero) is 62% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, where only 54% of the audience reported liking it.


Supporting roles go to Gordon “Master-Killer” Liu (Chia Hui Liu) as Bearded Man, Jay “Kato” Chou as both the God of Wushu and the Drunken God, David Carridine as Anton, and Michelle Yeoh as Sister Yu.

Synopsis
Su Can (Wenzhou Zao) is a humble man of the Qing Dynasty who only wants to master Wushu, and teach it to others. Unbeknownst to Su, his foster brother, Yuan Lie (Andy On), is a jealous, vengeful, master of Five Venoms Fist. When Su Can passes on a chance to become Imperial Governor, and recommends Yuan Lie for the job, Su sets the stage for his own downfall.

Verdict
A well-made martial arts movie that struggles to rise above its genre.

The wire work distracts from the wushu skill on display, and it’s mostly stuff that you’ve seen before if you enjoy kung fu movies. The strengths are the first two acts, where the main characters are strongly developed.

Characters in a Context with a Conflict
Su Can starts off as a general in the Qing army. We quickly see that he is brave, skilled, loyal, and humble.

Although not much detail is given to context, we get some ideas from relationships, architecture, and costumes.

Yuan Lie also starts off as an officer in the Qing army. We hear that he’s unreliable, and we see how quick he is to give up on Su Can when our protagonist remains behind to save another soldier. Later, we learn that Yuan Lie’s father studied Five Venoms Fist, and that it corrupted him. Su Can’s father killed Yuan Lie’s dad, but raised Yuan Lie as his own son.

That sets the stage for the conflict. Yuan Lie wants revenge for his own father, and wants to steal his sister, Yuan Ying (Xun Zhou) from her husband, Su Can. Yuan Lie has an ideal vision for a family, and that includes Yuan Ying living with him.

The brilliance of the first two acts lies in how strongly the script, and the acting, draws Su Can and Yuan Lie. Their inevitable, tragic, struggle is a natural outgrowth of character and context.

Unfortunately, the third act suffers in comparison. It lacks strong character motivations and clearly drawn conflict.

Three-Act Structure
True Legend has a very clear three-act structure.

Act I goes from rescuing the prince to Yuan Lie’s betrayal.


Act II picks up with recovering on a mountain under the care of Sister Yu (Michelle Yeoh) and runs through the death of Yuan Ying.


Act III sees Su a fallen, drunken, beggar wandering China with his son and culminates in an arena fight against “foreigners” sponsored by Anton (David Carridine).


Screenwriter Chi-long To does some very good work here.

Each act of the three-act story should increase the tension. Typically, writers do that by increasing the villains’ threat (from killing one person, to killing ten, to wiping out an entire city, for example). Sometimes they do it by reducing the amount of time available to the hero. Yet other times, the threat goes from being general (e.g., selling drugs) to personal (e.g., holding the protagonist’s family hostage).

In the first two acts of True Legend, the increased tension comes from the characters’ emotions. In the first act, Su Can has everything to lose. Yuan Lie’s betrayal is a shock to him. In the second act, Yuan Lie has everything to lose and Su Can is desperate to regain his wife and child.


Another place the third act suffers is that we’re not sure at all what the consequences are. Su Can might lose his son, but he’s already tried to fob his son off on an old friend. We just don’t understand the psychology and motivation of the character any more. 

Criticism
The pacing is irregular in this movie. If you’re used to watching Hong Kong epics, you’ll hardly notice. Those things said, each act does get faster and faster until its climax.

The wire work distracts from the wushu skill on display, and it’s mostly stuff that you’ve seen before if you enjoy kung fu movies.

We don’t understand why Su Can develops Drunken Fist, as at that point he’s a tragic, fallen, figure who would rather drink than care for his son.

The appearance of the “foreigners” in the third act is sudden, and has no bearing on the story before that. The film doesn’t so much end as just stop.

 
Conclusion
This was a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend 115 minutes, but I’ve certainly seen better.

CATCHING FIRE Looks At WASIKOWSKA And AGGELIKI For Johanna Mason

June 25, 2012, 11:30 am

≫ Next: BOOK REPORT: Book News For The Week Of June 12th, 2012

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The hype for Catching Fire has already started with a lot of buzz over who will play the role of Finnick Odair, but there is also the role of Johanna Mason that has yet to be cast. Today we hear that two names are on the potentials list and they are Mia Wasikowksa and Zoe Aggeliki.

In the second book of The Hunger Games, the character becomes an ally to Katniss and Peeta. Her relationship with Katniss is said to be like that of an older sister. She is a strong competitor with no family or friends.

New director Francis Lawrence is looking at both sides of the casting including big names and unknowns, keeping everyone in the running. 

The character will also have to continue on to do Mockinjay as the character is featured prominently in the final book of the series. Aggeliki could sign a deal this week, but things might change. She is a relative unknown, but she has picked up roles in R.I.P.D and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

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BOOK REPORT: Book News For The Week Of June 12th, 2012

June 25, 2012, 12:00 pm

≫ Next: THE PERFECT GIFT FOR A RURAL KID: The 'Breaking Bad' LEGO Meth Lab

≪ Previous: CATCHING FIRE Looks At WASIKOWSKA And AGGELIKI For Johanna Mason

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Past Our Bedtime for Rock Bottom Remainders 
On June 22 and 23 this past week in LA, the unusual band made up of bestselling authors like Stephen King, Amy Tan, and Dave Barry, known as the Rock Bottom Remainders played their last two shows.

West Coast Destinations for Book Lovers 

Taking a trip to the West Coast and wondering which bookstores are worth visiting?

Dimple Records Opening New Bookstore

The small chain, Dimple Records, which specializes in new and used CDs, DVDs, vinyl and video games will be branching out into books later this summer when it opens it first new and used bookstore in Sacramento, CA.  Shelf Awareness has a short piece on this, as well as a full article from the Sacramento Bee.  And I'm one of the guys working there!

Ebook Lending with Penguin 

The publishing giant Penguin Putnam has entered into an agreement with New York City libraries and 3M to make ebooks available for lending.

Summer's Best Sci-Fi From NPR 

NPR presents their top picks for the best science fiction books of the summer.

Why You Should Love Fanfiction 

Some people agree fanfiction is a great thing that should be supported and shared, while others say otherwise.  Booklife Now has some important things to say about it.

Amazon's Rumored Retail Store 

Amazon may soon be opening up a retail store selling Kindles and actual print books.  What will this mean for publishing and bookstores?

Ebook Revenues Top Hardcovers 

For the first time ever ebook sales are beating out hardcover book sales.

Keep Track of the Stephen King Universe 

Any big fan of Stephen King knows a lot of his books are interrelated according to town, setting, as well as characters.  IO9 presents a handy map to help you navigate your way through his catalog.

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR A RURAL KID: The 'Breaking Bad' LEGO Meth Lab

June 25, 2012, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: THE PULL LIST: DAREDEVIL #14, SAGA #4, ASTONISHING X-MEN #51 and MORE!

≪ Previous: BOOK REPORT: Book News For The Week Of June 12th, 2012

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When I was in college and took an Intro to Psych class I remember that my professor gave a lecture on how important playing was to the social development of a child. It seemed that a child that was deprived of imaginative play in their formative years often ended up as very damaged adults.

I wonder what he would say about a LEGO meth lab?

Anyway, this fountain of creativity was created by the friend of Reddit user GaryIsYourDotCom who seems extremely worried about children not having access to faux drug manufacturing plants to spend the afternoon playing with, and it's a highly detailed playset complete with blue crystal meth all ready for one of the Weebles to come by and purchase.

Personally, I'm looking forward to all the expansion packs.


Source: Incredible Things

THE PULL LIST: DAREDEVIL #14, SAGA #4, ASTONISHING X-MEN #51 and MORE!

June 25, 2012, 1:00 pm

≫ Next: GEEKY CRAFT CORNER: How-to Make Google Map Throw Pillows (It'll Make Your Ass-Stink Goodwill Couch Finally Look Good)

≪ Previous: THE PERFECT GIFT FOR A RURAL KID: The 'Breaking Bad' LEGO Meth Lab

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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!

Star Wars: Darth Vader and The Ghost Prison #2 of 5 (Pick of the Week)
Writer: Haden Blackman
Art: Agustine Alessio
Cover: Dave Wilkins
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $3.50

I’m having a hard time articulating my feelings on this review because my brain went into sensory overload as a result of what I just read.

If George Lucas was ever going to make a movie about the time frame between Episodes III and IV, this would be a hell of story to see on the silver screen.

Coruscant’s Imperial Center is under siege and the palace is in ruins as a deadly virus has been unleashed infecting everyone in its path, including Emperor Palpatine.

Darth Vader and the newly commissioned officer, Laurita Tohm move the Sith master to a secret crypt as he is in a lot of pain and moving closer to death with each passing moment.

This is a case where the terrorists are being terrorized as we see Vader and Palpatine distressed over what the next course of action is; for the first time they are the ones who are hurt, they are the ones in hiding, they are the ones who don’t know who to trust and they are the ones being hunted.

Kudos to Haden Blackman, who got some slack for having very little of Vader and Zero Ghost Prison in the previous issue, for putting together a great script. Introducing readers to Laurita Tohm was the right move because the story is told through his lens and his devotion to the Empire is unflappable so of course, he feels he is on the side of good.

Agustine Alessio’s illustrations created a vivid sense of terror with imagery such as smoke engulfing Coruscant’s skyline while citizens are running scared and Stormtroopers try to police the situation. More explosions cause further destruction and panic as the virus spreads and all sense of order is erased. Darth Vader is so desperate for a solution that he searches the abandoned Jedi temple. Just the image of the Dark Lord standing in the center of the Jedi council chambers was eerie on so many levels because we know who used to sit in those now empty and dust ridden chairs.

Expanded Universe stories can be either hit or miss but this issue bullseyes the womp rat in spades.

Grade A+

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: The Devil’s Engine #2 of 3
Writer: Mike Mignola & John Arcudi
Art: Tyler Crook
Colors: Dave Stewart
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $3.50

Andrew Devon and Fenix are stranded on a desert highway in the wake of a horrible locomotive derailment that took the lives of a lot of people.

To make matters worse they are being hunted by these giant four legged creatures.

Tyler Crook deserves a lot of credit for his artwork in this issue. Good guys being chased by demons is nothing new in comic books, but these sequences are done with such detail that I found myself genuinely concerned for their safety.

There is other stuff going on in the book too but nothing as compelling as the showdown in the desert.





Grade: B

Daredevil #14
Writer: Mark Waid
Art: Chris Samnee
Colors: Javier Rodriguez
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99

What happens when the Man Without Fear finally has something to fear?

Mark Waid does it again with a riveting story that places Daredevil in a situation we have never seen him in before.
At one point, he accepts the cold touch of death as there is no escape in sight as his super senses that made him a hero are gone while he is trapped in Doctor Doom’s wonderful country.

Chris Samnee’s art did a brilliant job of depicting the story of Daredevil’s struggle as we see his senses fade and begin to rely even more on what little strength he has left.


I have said it once and I will say it a million more times. If you haven’t been reading Daredevil, START READING IMMEDIATELY!


Grade: A

Saga #4
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Art: Fiona Staples
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $2.99


I like Saga, you like Saga, everybody likes Saga.

If you are one of the few that don’t, then there is no hope for you.

The majority of this issue centers on The Will, who is a fierce bounty that has been hired to deal with Alana and Marko.

Speaking of the star crossed lovers, it turns out that Marko forgot to mention something kind of important to the mother of his child. Fiona’s Staples unique imagery is ridiculous and amazing at the same time.


An example of this is when The Will walks by someone dressed in a green Barney costume with a large purple “anaconda” sticking out. Absolutely crazy but yet it looks normal in this universe we are still getting to know.

The story elements of Brian K. Vaughan’s script gives you one sense of direction and then it changes to something even more intriguing.

Grade: A

Avengers vs. X-Men #6
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Oliver Coipel
Colors: Laura Martin
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99

While events as a whole seem to have lost their luster among hardcore comic book fans, the sixth issue of AvX shows there is still quality storytelling in these highly publicized pages.

We are ten days removed from the events in issue five and Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magik, Colossus and Namor basically rule the world with their new Phoenix powers.

They are turning the Earth into one large Utopia. They have done nothing wrong, but of course the Avengers and the US government feel things are too good to be true.

The second story arc along with Oliver Coipel’s inclusion in the mix gives the series a refreshing feel where most events can feel stale at this stage of the game. Different

characters were spotlighted instead of Captain America and Wolverine getting the majority of the attention. There was one moment in particular during the fighting where Phoenix Cyclops says to Thor “You threaten me with weather” before he pimp slaps him into the stratosphere. The philosophical differences on both sides of the fence make the conflict even more tension filled as the stakes have been elevated more than anyone can imagine.


Grade: B+

Merciless: The Rise Of Ming #2
Writer: Scott Beatty
Art: Ron Adrian
Colors: Roni Setiawan
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Price: $3.99

We all know Ming is an evil dude, but to see how evil he was before he ruled the planet Mongo is an interesting case study.

As King, he knows he is the top dog so he is very nonchalant with his decrees and actions. In this series he is only a prince and while that comes with a tremendous amount of authority to abuse, the challenge of over-reaching his bounds is thrilling for him.

I would almost compare it to those who drank a beer before they were 21 years of age. It’s exciting because you know you it’s illegal, but once you become of age there is nothing special about the act itself.

Between this and the Flash Gordon Zeitgeist series, Dynamite Entertainment is giving this franchise the attention and care it hasn't received in years.



Grade: B-

Astonishing X-Men #51
Writer: Marjorie Liu
Art: Mike Perkins, Andrew Perkins
Colors: Andy Troy and Jim Charalampidis
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99

Marvel’s all access pass to the wedding of the year brings about very little action but a powerful statement.

Same-sex marriage is a hot button issue, but Marjorie Liu’s script didn’t bring any of those elements into the story.

It was all the comings and goings you would expect to see on ones wedding day.

The catering team prepares the wrong menu, chairs aren't being set up fast enough, the floral arrangements are set up, the justice of the peace, Hank McCoy, is searching for North Star and Kyle’s vows and of course pre-wedding jitters from the couple to be.

The X-Men who helped with and attended the event were all in support of this union of two people who are clearly in love with each other.

There was none of that “I can’t believe we are here” vibe from anyone. Despite the romantic affair, we are still reading an X-Men comic book and the ending proves that Karma is indeed a &^%#%.

Grade: B-

The Punisher #12
Writer: Greg Rucka
Art: Marco Checchetto
Colors: Matt Holingsworth
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99

Rachel Coles-Alves is the closest thing we have seen, from a female perspective, to the Punisher.

She is on the run and with the cops staking out her apartment, she reaches out to her friend and newspaper writer, Norah Winters.

Her eventual encounter with Frank Castle brings her beyond the point of no return where she needs to let go of her past in order to truly fight this war of protecting the innocent and taking out the Exchange and anyone else like them.

The panel-by-panel sequencing of their fight is outstanding and is my pick for art work of the week. Not only did it capture the physical toll a fight like this takes on someone, but also the emotional toll it takes on Rachel because she doesn't want to let go of the one thing that is fueling her desire for vengeance.

Grade: B+

GEEKY CRAFT CORNER: How-to Make Google Map Throw Pillows (It'll Make Your Ass-Stink Goodwill Couch Finally Look Good)

June 25, 2012, 1:30 pm

≫ Next: Cine-Geek Nuggests: President Eckhart, Meathead's Thriller, Schall's An Ape & More!

≪ Previous: THE PULL LIST: DAREDEVIL #14, SAGA #4, ASTONISHING X-MEN #51 and MORE!

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A friend of mine just closed on his first house last Friday and while technically he's thrilled, the horror of adulthood is settling upon his shoulders and he's taken to spending the last few days weeping over how much it's going to cost him to be a homeowner.

So, to cheer him up I have decided to create a series of throw pillows for his couch of all the places he loved to go to before he decided to sink his entire net worth into a row home and never leave again.

The pillows will look similar to these (If I don't royally fuck them up):

The concept was created by ultra-talented crafty blogger Emma Jeffrey who it appears can make silk out of shit, so don't get yourself tied up in knots if your pillows look like a five-year-old with cerebral palsy made them...it's the thought that counts.

You can find the tutorial HERE and don't worry, you won't be printing out fabric on your printer. You'll be uploading it to the fabulous Spoonflower which creates fabrics based on prints and designs you upload to the site (just imagine the possibilities!).

Now, if the idea of making pillows makes your asshole quiver but you still like the idea, you can always make a wall hanging from the fabric by attaching it to stretcher strips that you find in the canvas section of your local art store so that it looks like a painting.

However, in my case I'm gonna make the pillows, so I'll be uploading various bar locations that my friend has gotten drunk at so that he will always feel close to the places where he puked on the floor...while he cries on his couch.

It's the least I can do for a friend.

Source: Craft Magazine

Cine-Geek Nuggests: President Eckhart, Meathead's Thriller, Schall's An Ape & More!

June 25, 2012, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: WATCH EVERY GASP Annie Has Ever Shot Out Of Her Mouth On 'Community'

≪ Previous: GEEKY CRAFT CORNER: How-to Make Google Map Throw Pillows (It'll Make Your Ass-Stink Goodwill Couch Finally Look Good)

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Aaron Eckhart will play The President in Antoine Fuqua's Olympus Has Fallen, about a former Secret Service agent (Gerard Butler) who becomes America's only hope when the White House is overtaken by terrorists.  This is one of two White House themed action films currently in pre-production, with the other being White House Down starring Jamie Foxx, Channing Tatum and Maggie Gyllenhaal.


Michael K. Williams, best known as The Wire's Omar Little and Boardwalk Empire's Chalky White, is the latest actor to join director Steve McQueen's upcoming Twelve Years A Slave.  The film, which about a free black man who is drugged and dragged to the South to be sold into slavery, is currently shooting in New Orleans, with a cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Brad Pitt, Garret Dillahunt, Paul Dano, Taran Killam, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti and Sarah Paulson.


Rob Reiner, who hasn't directed a thriller since 1990's Misery, is ready to return to the genre with his upcoming project, You Belong To Me, which is described as "being in the tradition of Cape Fear."  The plot centers on a psychiatrist who does the one thing you are never supposed to do with your patients: talk about yourself.  Reiner complements the David Murray screenplay by describing the storyline as having,"a deep psychological bent to it and a big twist in the end that I didn’t see coming."  Casting has begun for a planned fall shoot.


Kristen Schaal will join returning cast members Anna Faris, Bill Hader and Andy Samberg in the sequel for Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers directed by first time helmers Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn.  The sequel takes place after the events of the first movie, with the characters of Flint Lockwood and his friends forced to leave their town of Swallow Falls. When it is discovered that sentient food beasts have overrun the island, they are asked to return to save the world again.  With Schaal portraying an orangutan.


Christopher Meloni has joined the cast of director David Wain's romantic comedy spoof, They Came Together which stars Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Ed Helms, Cobie Smulders and Jason Mantzoukas.  In the film, Rudd and Poehler dislike one another, with Rudd's company trying to close down Poehler's candle store.  Meloni will play Rudd’s boss, the CEO of CorporateCo Corporation and Co., Inc.


Sarah Wayne Callies has joined the cast of Steve Quale's untitled found footage tornado thriller.  The film follows a group of high school teens dealing with the aftermath of a devastating tornado.