Flee the Interview

Video - The 100 Greatest Movie Insults of All Time

2010-07-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was starved of a few things while living on an Adventist boarding school campus. One of them was meat. Oh god, how I missed meat. Since I've been back I've had a burger, ribs, AND steak. Mmmmm. The other thing was YouTube, which meant no bloggzors. But thankfully I'm back, and now I can watch videos and continue to share them with you all. It will take me a bit to get back into the daily swing of things, but to start us off, here's a wonderful montage created by a dedicated user over at Pajiba. Enjoy.

Time-Lapse - Modules

2010-07-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Obviously, I love time-lapse videos. I've delved into them myself a couple times, but nothing to the extent of the following video. It's nice to see a video that shows something being built, as opposed to clouds moving across the sky. Also, I've just discovered that the Internet I'm using for the next week blocks almost all video players, so you may see a lapse in updates until I get back.

Animated Short - Fluffy McCloud

2010-07-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Conor Finnegan's graduate film for IADT National Film School is a mix of stop-motion, live action, and hand drawn animation. It explores "man's misunderstanding and mixed relationship with mother nature" while being light-hearted and fun. Hit the jump and enjoy.

Video - Underwater Base Jump

2010-07-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have a pretty big fear of being in deep water. Anything I can't see the bottom of is off limits forever. Even watching Happy Feet gave me the willies at one point. So while I will never be able to fully enjoy the following video, I can still appreciate the fact that this guy is freediving into a giant hole in the ocean. See what I do for you people? Facing my own fears to bring you entertainment.

Music Video - "It's Working" by MGMT

2010-06-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

I really like MGMT's new album, Congratulations, and their latest music video is just as cool. Trippy and imaginative, "It's Working" really takes the time to explore its concept. Hit the jump and enjoy.

Video - Bruce Lee audition tape for The Green Hornet

2010-06-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's common knowledge that Bruce Lee is a badass. In this tape, we get to see just how in control of his body and martial arts he really is. He's candid and informal, while also being respectful and intense. I doubt there was any debate whether or not Lee was going to get the part.

Short Film - Apricot

2010-06-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Australian director Ben Briand created this film through Moonwalk Films for the 2010 Vimeo Awards, and it is extremely well done. An emotional story, beautiful film-making, intimate moments, a truly wonderful story. I wouldn't skip this one, and it deserves your full attention.

Trailer - Red

2010-06-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Combine ex-CIA operative Bruce Willis, creepy old man Morgan Freeman, craziest of the crazies John Malkovich, hot ass Mary Louise Parker, motherfuckin' Brian Cox, AND machine-gunnin' Helen Mirren and you get what looks to be a shit-kickingly awesome movie. Hit the jump for the embedded video. On a lesser note, I'll be out for a couple weeks with limited internet access, so the following posts are mostly scheduled. Still feel free to leave comments and send in videos.

Music Video - "Own Stunts" by Breathe Owl Breathe

2010-06-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love everything about this video. The folk music, the costumes, the visuals, everything. They have a new album, Magic Central, which will be hitting stores some time this summer. No details yet, but it's still too far away.

Commercial - Dodge Challenger "Freedom"

2010-06-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

As an American, I would like to apologize for the following video, while simultaneously enjoying the crap out of it.

Trailer - Tangled

2010-06-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, Walt Disney Animation Studios released the trailer for Tangled, their 50th full-length animated film. With voice talents Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi, the film has a definite storyboard feel, which is pretty cool. And the co-directors also were part of the team that helmed Bolt, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Hit the jump for the embedded trailer.

Music Video - "End Love" by OK Go

2010-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

OK Go is like Pixar, they can do no wrong. Their newest video combines their awesome music with stop-motiony goodness. Very innovative and complicated. I hope OK Go stays together just so we can keep getting their videos. Hit the jump for the embedded video.

Animated Short - MARS!

2010-06-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Mars is a very cool animated film that focuses on human exploration of new planets. Although it starts off on a level of optimistic curiosity, it quickly descends into a sad pattern. If that throws you off, just hit the jump for the sweet animation style of Joe Bichard and Jack Cunningham.

Dealing in Absolutes & Swearing to Protect Forest Fires

2010-06-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

There's a Mitch Hedberg quote generator. It is my new permanent tab.

Dreamworks vs. L O S T. (Comixed)

South African Vuvuzela Philharmonic Angered By Soccer Games Breaking Out During Concerts. (The Onion)

This game fills me with rage. So much rage. (Kongregate)

Infinite Loop photograph. (NatGeo)

Learn Elvish in 10 minutes.

The story of Matt Damon's look in Team America. (DS)

Music Video - "Flush" by Riz MC & Envy

2010-06-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love this music video. It's so trippy. With Monty Python-style animation, a husband and wife start a fight with each other, which literally grows to epic proportions. Combine that with rap and you've got a stellar video. Hit the jump.

Trailer - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2010-06-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

Oooh, a new Narnia movie. This doesn't look too bad. "Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their pesky cousin Eustace Scrubb, find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to a fantastic Narnian ship headed for the very edges of the world." Woo, fun. The last one was just okay, but maybe this one will be a little better? Probably not.

video platform video management video solutions video player

Music Video - "Ozark Empire, or a snake oil salesman comes to your town" by Listener

2010-06-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yeah, long-ass name. Also, you have never seen anything like these guys. A combination of talk, rap, singing. And the only beat is a guy banging against a washing machine. Obviously, Listener isn't for everybody, but you can't deny the curiosity. Hit the jump.

Animated Short - Café allongé

2010-06-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

So weird. From the French animation studio Kawastudio comes a strange story about a teenager who fantasizes about different ways of approaching an attractive girl in a coffee shop. Each scenario is stranger than the last, but there's no dialogue, and the video is oddly charming at times. Not all the time, but it has its moments. Hit the jump and enjoy.

Music Video - "Heart of Stone" by The Raveonettes

2010-06-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

This music video's been out for a while, but I still watch it a lot. Trance indie music combined with trippy animation makes for an awesome video experience. Hit the jump for the embedded video.

Dealing in Absolutes & BBBZBZZZZZZZBZZZZZZZZ

2010-06-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

Add vuvuzela noises to any website. (HuffPo) More links after the jump.

Coolest. Website. Ever. Thanks to Andrew. (Gunn)

World Naked Bike Ride. NSFW. (LAW)

Sham Wow guy sells Eminem's new album. No joke. (AB)

Stephen Colbert on Whose Line is it Anyway? (YouTube)

Falling with Style. (YouTube)

This is Why I'll Never Be an Adult. (Hyp.5)

A year's work for one photograph. (JL22)

Animated Short - Paper Plane

2010-06-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Just over a minute long, Paper Plane is short, sweet, and beautifully rendered. Margherita Premuroso made this for her graduation diploma in Animation Mentor. Very cool. Enjoy.

(via Fubiz)

Trailer - The Illusionist

2010-06-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

From Sylvain Chomet, the creator of The Triplets of Belleville, comes The Illusionist, a story of an older magician looking for work in more and more obscure venues. It looks incredible charming and fun and sad, and I can't wait for it to come to the US. But for now, the movie will hit France this week. Hit the jump for the trailer and synopsis.

"The Illusionist is one of a dying breed of stage entertainers. With emerging rock stars stealing his thunder, he is forced to accept increasingly obscure assignments in fringe theatres, at garden parties and in bars and cafés. However, whilst performing in a village pub off the west coast of Scotland, he encounters Alice, an innocent young girl, who will change his life forever.

Watching his performance to the excited villagers who are celebrating the arrival of electricity to their remote island, Alice becomes awestruck by our hero and believes his tricks are real magic. Following him to Edinburgh, she keeps his home while he goes to work in a small local theatre. Enchanted by her enthusiasm for his act, he rewards her with increasingly lavish gifts he has ‘conjured’ into existence. Desperate not to disappoint her, he cannot bring himself to reveal that magic does not exist and that buying these gifts is driving him to ruin.

But as Alice comes of age, she finds love and moves on. The Illusionist no longer has to pretend and, untangled from his own web of deceit, resumes his life as a travelling entertainer, a much wiser man."

(via Fubiz and /Film)

Video - Menno Fokma: Reel 2010

2010-06-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Menno Fokma's compilation reel of past projects is really quite astounding. And crazy. Lots and lots of crazy. Says Fokma, "I am searching for abstract ways of expressing reality. Abstract forms that will enlighten my own mystery." You can see his specific projects at his website.

(via Fubiz)

Dealing in Absolutes & E3

2010-06-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

Star Wars: The Old Republic trailer. They should really just keep making these epic scenes instead of the games. (YouTube) Hit the jump for more E3 goodness and other links.

Kirby's Epic Yarn. (Nintendo)

Portal 2 trailer. (YouTube)

Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. (Geek)

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 first full fight. (BGz)

Jackie Chan hates karate kids. (/Film)

Futurama as X-Men characters. (Geekologie)

Music Video - "The Curse" by Josh Ritter

2010-06-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

From Josh Ritter’s newest album So Runs The World Away comes "The Curse," a love story between an archeologist and an Egyptian mummy. Their bond grows over time, but with that time comes the heartbreak of loss. It's a touching story and all with puppets. Yay puppets! Enjoy.

(via Kitsune Noir)

Short Film - Avatar Days

2010-06-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

This short film, shot documentary style, is a portrait of four Dublin WoW gamers and their contrasting in-game avatars. With motion capture animation, Piranha Bar uses the avatars in place of the gamers in real life situations. Slow paced, but interesting and enjoyable. Hit the jump for the embedded video.

(via Go Into the Story)

Time-Lapse - Hayaku: A Journey Through Japan

2010-06-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Photographer Brad Kremer "started this as a personal project to try and capture the beauty that I see in Japan." Some of the location include Tokyo, Matsuyama, Imabari, Nagano, Gifu, and Ishizushisan. The two music pieces are "Triumphant" by Royksopp and "Window" by The Album Leaf. Enjoy. It really is incredible.

(via Fubiz)

Dealing in Absolutes & a Sea of Keys

2010-06-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

A sea of keyboard keys looks way cool. As does a wave of records. (Fubiz) Hit the jump for more links.

'LOST: The Animated Series' isn't real. But it got your attention didn't it? (UnR)

Mario Bros. Crossover. An insane amount of cool. (YouTube)

Oprah is giving away a TV show. This guy is winning. And he totally deserves it. Hooray 4chan! (Oprah)

Breaking Bad creator explains the show's name. (YouTube)

The Pillow Tie. Genius.

Keanu Reeves is immortal. This is the saddest, most hilarious thing I've ever read. (EC)

Pixar "films don't get finished, they just get released." (LON)

Learning about WWII history can be fun. [pic]

Mario vs. Pacman. [pic]

Commercial - Sony 3D TV "Do Not Adjust Your Set"

2010-06-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

While I appreciate the imagery and concept, I can't shake the feeling that I should be offended by Sony UK's new TV spot. It's like they're attacking me for not already having a 3D television. Look Sony, obviously I'm not in your intended demographic (or your intended country for that matter), but ease up why don't ya.

(via Fubiz)

Music Video - "Blake, What I Like" by Sovnger

2010-06-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

The music part of this music video is rather forgettable, just loud and obnoxious techno. But the video part is rather amazing. Shot with the Olympus i-SPEED 3, Paul Bryan mixes slow motion and innovative shots to create a fast moving and insanely fun relay race through the Paris subway system. Fun stuff. Hit the jump.

KNUCKLES | BLAKE - WHAT I LIKE from Paul Bryan on Vimeo.

Video - Six True Blood Minisodes

2010-06-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Since the season premiere of True Blood is on tonight, I figured now would be a good time to gather together all six of the minisodes that have been popping up over the past month and a half. All episodes focus on different characters, are less than 5 minutes in length, and take place either during or after the season 2 finale. So go on, hit the jump, and get your fill.

Eric and Pam

Jessica

Sookie, LaFayette, and Tara

Sam

Bill

Jason

Game Trailer - Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

2010-06-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

Oh. My god. I cannot wait for December 31st. Wait, I need a Wii first. Blast, foiled again!

Commercial - Adidas "The Quest"

2010-06-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Adidas has nothing on Nike's "Write the Future" masterpiece, but its latest promo is still pretty crazy in its own right. Adidas' World Cup ad is a schizophrenic series of epic shots and surreal effects that somehow manages to pull itself into a cohesive story. Hit the jump and then go prepare for today's big game. USA!

Video - Light Warfare

2010-06-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Director Freddie Wong says it best: "Enough with the rainbows and flowers - it's time for guns and missles! This is the true power of light painting: every weapon at your fingertips." This isn't anything artistic or movie-related, it's just all out war.

Trailer - Studio Ghibli’s The Borrower Arrietty

2010-06-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

The Borrower Arrietty follows 14-year-old Arrietty Clock, who's family makes "their own home from items 'borrowed' from the house’s human inhabitants. However, life changes for the Clocks when a human boy discovers Arrietty.” See, the name makes sense: Arrietty is a person who borrows. Studio Ghibli's latest feature film, based off of Mary Norton’s fantasy novel The Borrowers, will premiere in Japan this July. While Hayao Miyazaki oversaw the production of the movie, animator Hiromasa Yonebayashi gets to sit in the director's chair. The trailer is in Japanese, but it's not very long and easy to tell what's going on. I'm sure when the movie hits US shores, we'll get a revamped trailer with English dubs. Enjoy.

Dealing in Absolutes & Sub-Zero

2010-06-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

The Mortal Kombat movie I posted the trailer for will come to theaters in 2011! (1Up) Hit the jump for more links.

Super Mario 64 game within a game. Hilarity ensues.

Free games! I wants them. (TiG)

Go to Google. Search "World Cup." Scroll to the bottom. Revel in Google's awesomeness.

Cool kid rocks out while playing while My Guitar Gently Weeps. (YouTube)

I Will Derive! (YouTube)

Wax On, Fuck Off. (/Film)

Are you ready to go back to the Titanic? (AB)

Graffiti Removal. (EC)

Alfred Hitchcock's "That's what she said" joke. (/Film)

Commercial - iPhone 4 "Face Time"

2010-06-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

What? An iPhone commercial? That has no place on this blog. Well, that would be true... if it wasn't for the fact that Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Away We Go) directed it. And that it's rather effective. You know what? Just watch it. Hit the jump, peeps.

Short Film - Momentos

2010-06-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

Nuno Rocha wrote and directed this extraordinary short film for LG Portugal. "Momentos" is a freehand and beautiful portrait exemplifying the concept, "Life's Good." Excuse me while I get something out of my eye.

MOMENTOS from Nuno Rocha on Vimeo.(via Fubiz)

Trailer - AMC's new show Rubicon

2010-06-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

That's right, AMC has got a new television show coming out this summer. And since they're unanimously 2 for 2 with Mad Men and Breaking Bad, I think it's safe to say that Rubicon will be just as good. Rubicon is “a conspiracy thriller that follows an analyst at a New York City think-tank whose work leads him to uncover a hidden clue that points to an unfolding global conspiracy.” Hit the jump for the trailer and cast.

The cast is as follows:

James Badge Dale (The Departed)
Lili Taylor (Six Feet Under, High Fidelity)
Dallas Roberts (Walk the Line, Flicka, The L Word)
Jessica Collins (The Nine, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
Christopher Evan Welch (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Lauren Hodges (Law & Order)
Paul Butler (The Insider, Reign Over Me)
Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket, Natural Born Killers, The Sandlot)
Miranda Richardson (The Crying Game, Sleepy Hollow).

Time-Lapse - Running on Empty

2010-06-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

What if tomorrow, everyone's car disappeared? Ross Ching has the answer. Inspired by Matt Logue’s Empty LA, Ching's time-lapse video shows what Los Angeles freeways would look like with no cars. Pretty damn cool. Head on over to his site to find out how he removed all the cars.

Running on Empty from Ross Ching on Vimeo.

Dealing in Absolutes & Flame of Udun

2010-06-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

This is my new desktop background. Just thought you'd like to know. Hit the jump for more links.

Watson is just creepy in the new Sherlock Holmes game. (YouTube)

Make Homosexuals Marry. (YouTube)

The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly: 21 Seconds

For those days when you're feeling sorry for yourself, just use this pic.

An adorable French girl tells an epic story of Winnie the Pooh, hippos, tigers and crocodiles. (GITS)

Why True Blood Kicks Twilight's Ass. (IGN)

Remember when I posted that Technotise remake fan-made trailer? Well, that caught the attention of an Avatar producer and now they've got some funding to film the English language remake. Now all they need is a studio. (/Film)

The 15 Biggest Cult Films of the Last 5 Years. (Pajiba)

Entangled. Feel like wasting some time? Play this game.

Video - Pure, an action movie montage

2010-06-09T08:00:00.001-07:00

From director/editor Jacob Bricca comes "a meditation on violence and visual tropes in the action film genre." Really, it's just the most epic action movie mash-up ever, stripped of all excess and left with the purest form of action movie montage goodness. The music is "7 vs 8" by Jesus the Lizard. Enjoy.

Pure from Jacob Bricca on Vimeo.

Trailer - Mortal Kombat

2010-06-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I find something that needs to be posted immediately. This is one of those times. I don't know if this is for a Mortal Kombat video game or movie, but it's not fan-made. And either way, it has me on so many levels of excited. It's brutal, disgusting, and PERFECT. And yes, that is Baraka up above. Hit the jump, now.

UPDATE: According to Jeri Ryan's (plays Sonya Blade in the film) Twitter update: "It's not a game trailer. Actually was made for the director to sell WB on his vision for a reimagined MK film."

Music Video - "Not Afraid" by Eminem

2010-06-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

Eminem's latest music video hit the streets this week. "Not Afraid" is the first single for his upcoming album, Recovery, which will come out on June 22. The video is a bit cheesy (a definite Matrix: Reloaded vibe), but the song itself is better than the entirety of Eminem's last album. Which is good. Also, Elton John helped Eminem out of his drug use? Random. Anywho, hit the jump and enjoy.

Trailer - WildWater

2010-06-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

"WildWater is a journey into the mind and soul of whitewater, into the places only river runners can go, places of discovery, solitude and risk," say the fine people at Forge Motion Pictures. I don't know much of anything about whitewater (I went rafting once when I was 10, does that count?), but the imagery in this trailer is just stunning. Really just great shots all around. The documentary is still in post-production, but will be making the festival rounds come Fall and Spring.

WildWater Trailer - New Version from Anson Fogel on Vimeo.

Dealing in Absolutes & Afternoon Delight

2010-06-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

Wow. Been a while. Let's get to it then.

Alison Brie (from Community and Mad Men) is the latest guest star of the Nerdist podcast.

Hit the jump for more

Violent (but amusing) threats. (PA Notes)

Hayao Miyazaki is a god, parts 1 and 2. (GITS)

Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert & Jon Stewart Dance-Off. (YouTube)

FIFA World Cup murals. It's in French. Don't freak out. (Fubiz)

Glee. I don't watch it normally. But Joss Whedon directed an episode. This was the best part. (YouTube)

Twilight (aka "The Pain") reviewed chapter by excruciating chapter. (AGR)

David Blaine Street Magic. Just effing hilarious. (YouTube)

The customer is not always right. As a former Target cashier, I appreciate this one. (NAR)

Fuckin' Onions. (DB)

Dear Girls Above Me.

Master of Disguise on Chatroulette. (YouTube)

Short Film - "Fly" by Alan Short

2010-06-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

From Aardman Animation, a UK-based animation studio responsible for many clay animation and stop motion features like Wallace & Gromit, comes their latest computer animated short. "Fly" is a cool little cartoon, even with the violence and spiders (oh god, the spiders). Alan Short is the supervising animator on this one.

Trailer - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)

2010-06-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

The first trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows premiered on the MTV Awards tonight. This got me way excited, ~~but the movie doesn't even come out until July of 2011~~ and now I'm even more excited cuz I was wrong and the movie comes out on November 19th 2010. ~~Sad~~ Yay beans! Holy crap yes! Hit the jump.

Video - Thinking is Fun

2010-06-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

From British director Davis Silis comes...I don't know what this is. But it's short, it's sweet, and it's got style. Enjoy.

Thinking Is Fun from Davis Silis on Vimeo.

Time-Lapse - Dulux Walls

2010-06-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

"Dulux Walls" is a 2 minute film shot in Brazil, France, London, and India. There, the locals paint everything and anything in over 120 different colors. Directed by Adam Berg and financed through the Let's Colour Campaign by Euro RSCG London, "Dulux Walls" shows but a little of what real people did in transforming their communities.

Trailer - The Expendables

2010-06-04T20:56:00.000-07:00

A new trailer hit the streets today for The Expendables, a movie that features just about every action star known to man...except for JCVD. I mean, look at that poster. Look at it! This movie is probably going to be epic on cameos alone. That aside, the new trailer is kind of disappointing. It feels like a teaser. Scratch that, it is a teaser. Unlike the first trailer, which showed actual footage from the movie. Silly me to think that we'd see more footage since the movie's coming out on August 13th. But lucky for you guys, I have yet to post the first trailer. So I'm gonna do that now and you can take a gander at the new one if you really feel so inclined to do so. I've also included a sneak peak that came out a while ago. I know, I know. I do too much for you. But don't worry, you can thank me with cookies later.

And the sneak peak:

Music Video - "Cloud Man" by Grieves & Budo

2010-06-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have something to confess: I have no idea who Grieves & Budo are. No clue. And I'm not gonna look them up, mostly because I can't download much of anything at my new address. So why put myself through the pain of knowing what I can't have when I can just enjoy this cool colored-paper stop-motion video? Jesse Brown and Christian Hansen are responsible for this stop-motiony goodness. Do what you do best and hit the jump.

Grieves & Budo "Cloud Man" Music Video from Jesse Brown on Vimeo.

Time-Lapse - Volcano in Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull

2010-06-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late on the uptake for this one, but back at the beginning of May, Sean Stiegemeier took a trip to Iceland so he could create this amazing time-lapse video. He arrived a bit late (a theme in this post) and had some weather issues, so he missed the lava flow, but what he did capture is still pretty stunning. Check out the video after the jump. Also, here's a link to a video showing the equipment Stiegemeier used for the time-lapse. Enjoy.

Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull - May 1st and 2nd, 2010 from Sean Stiegemeier on Vimeo.

Trailer - Easy A

2010-06-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

Synopsis:

After a little white lie about losing her virginity gets out, a clean cut high school girl sees her life paralleling Hester Prynne’s in “The Scarlet Letter,” which she is currently studying in school – until she decides to use the rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing.

Well, I think I'll be seeing this movie. Go Emma Stone. In theaters September 17th.

And as an added bonus, here's Emma Stone being awesome.

Video - Filming Myself in the Snow

2010-06-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

So this guy Stebs is kind of a badass. He's a videographer and post-production artist and decided to film himself doing bike tricks in the snow. It took him about 3 hours to shoot and edit the video, and what results is a very simple, yet beautifully shot video to the score of Efterklang’s Mirador. This is the kind of thing that reminds you that film is primarily a visual-based medium. Way cool.

Filming Myself in the Snow from Paper Fortress on Vimeo.

Trailer - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

2010-05-31T15:55:00.000-07:00

This movie is going to be EPIC. Based on the graphic novel of the same name, Scott Pilgrim wants to date Ramona Flowers, the girl of his dreams. But in order to do so, he must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends. Michael Cera is completely redeemed in my eyes even after just watching the trailer. Just...just watch it. Now.

The movie will hit theaters on August 13th.

Short Documentary - Scrapertown

2010-05-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

The fine folks over at California is a Place make cool videos about California and the amazing things that happen here. This video focuses on a group in Oakland called the Original Scraper Bike Team, who've created an after school program where teenagers can trick out their bikes and ride them throughout Oakland. The video does a great job of combining the fun and seriousness of creating their own customized bicycles. Very cool video.

Scrapertown from California is a place. on Vimeo.

Short Documentary - Dean Potter Free Solos the Eiger

2010-05-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Eiger's north face is 5,000 ft of sheer rock and ice. It's widely regarded as one of the most difficult climbs in the world. And this guy does it by himself, and without rope. His only support is a parachute so he can BASE to safety. Bad. Ass.

dean potter from cl1 on Vimeo. And shut up, I know it's climbing. Deal.

Trailer - Studio Ghibli's Tales from Earthsea

2010-05-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

From Hayao Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazaki, comes the domestic release of Studio Ghibli's animated film, Tales from Earthsea, four years after its international release. The only reason Tales from Earthsea, based off the popular books by Ursula K. Le Guin, has yet to be released in the U.S. is because of a rights dispute with the SyFy channel. The film will feature the voice talents of Willem Dafoe, Timothy Dalton, Mariska Hargitay, and Cheech Marin. But unfortunately, it's not supposed to be be the best of Studio Ghibli's works, with Hayao himself reportedly scolding his son for a less-than-stand-up job. But hell, I'll see it anyways. Look for the movie to hit theaters on August 13th.

Trailer - True Blood Season 3

2010-05-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

Season 3 of True Blood is gonna start soon, June 13th to be exact. I'm excited, but how the hell are they gonna top the superb villain that was Mary Anne? Seriously, far too awesome. The full trailer is embedded after the jump. Enjoy.

Werewolves? Bleh.

Music Video - "Quarantine Guy" by The Fully Sick Rapper

2010-05-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

Christiaan Van Vuuren has been in quarantine for Multi-Drug Resistant TB in a Sydney hospital for over 150 days. Bored out of his mind and running out of movies to watch, he started creating funny rap videos for his friends, dubbing himself The Fully Sick Rapper. His internet fame took off from there and, according to his Facebook fan page, his "rappeal and street cred grow with each day of his incarceration." "Quarantine Guy" is the latest video from Van Vuuren. It's embedded after the jump.

Book Trailer - Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

2010-05-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

From the author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies comes the next book in the historical horror fiction genre. The publishers poured a bit of money into making a cool-lookin' trailer for the novel. This is one book I would totally want to see turned into a movie. The synopsis and trailer are after the jump. Have fun.

Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother's bedside. She's been stricken with something the old-timers call "Milk Sickness."

"My baby boy..." she whispers before dying.

Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother's fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire.

When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, "henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose..." Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House.

While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation..

Teaser Trailer - The Divide

2010-05-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

The only thing I've ever seen from director Xavier Gen is Hitman, which is just not a good movie. I've been told his earlier works are significantly better, but otherwise I don't have many expectations of Gen. His newest movie, The Divide, looks pretty good though. The trailer doesn't show much, but it has perked my interest.

When a cataclysmic explosion devastates New York, eight strangers take refuge in the basement of their apartment building, a converted fallout shelter designed by their paranoid superintendent Mickey. With just three connecting rooms it’s barely big enough, but with stockpiles of food and water, the group are at least safe from the horrors outside, and they settle in and attempt to fathom the catastrophe that has ended the lives of so many of their loved ones.

But suddenly men in HAZMAT suits storm their shelter and open fire. The strangers join forces in a desperate bid to take on this enemy, with no one understanding what these HAZMATS are looking for and what drives them to be so merciless. With fatalities on both sides and the remaining HAZMATS temporarily pushed back and locked out, the worst is yet to come for the group. Cabin fever sets in as the perception of the shelter shifts from safe-haven to claustrophobic rat-trap.

And watch out for the Inception trailer music theft.

Time-Lapse - Space Shuttle Launch

2010-05-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you cross a space shuttle launch, a couple Canon EOS 5D Mark IIs cameras, six weeks, and a hundred hours of footage? Pure awesomeness. The video is embedded after the jump, and there won't be any sound til near the end. Enjoy.

Video - Crazy Cool 3D Projections on Buildings

2010-05-24T15:04:00.000-07:00

NuFormer Digital Media develops high-skill 3D video mapping projections that can be tailor-made to any building. What results is an awesome array of realistic 3D projections that take advantage of every nook and cranny of the building. So cool.

Locked Away Hacker Documentary Surfaces on Pirate Bay

2010-05-21T16:47:00.000-07:00

After being locked away due to conflicts among the producers, an unreleased documentary on 2003 computer hackers surfaced on Pirate Bay last week. Hackers Wanted is narrated by Kevin Spacey and follows the exploits of Adrian Lamo, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to cracking the internal network of The New York Times. Lamo had this to say about the unintentional release:

“It’s ironic that a film about overcoming barriers, about new technologies, about thinking differently, had to come to the public eye by being hacked out of the hands of people who, after making a film about the free flow of information, tried to lock away that information forever. The truth tends to itself.”

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.

Music Video - "Tighten Up" by The Black Keys

2010-05-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm really diggin' The Black Keys' new album, Brothers. The group previously posted two music videos from the album that had little-to-no production value for "Next Girl and "Tighten Up." They featured a dinosaur puppet cavorting with women in bikinis. The Black Keys obviously disapproved, cuz now we have the official pretty lookin' music video for "Tighten Up." Hit the jump for the embedded video.

You can see a bigger video here.

The Black Keys "Tighten Up"

The Black Keys | MySpace Music Videos

Trailer - Winnebago Man

2010-05-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

Three posts in one day? I must have a final tomorrow. The film Winnebago Man follows documentarian Ben Steinbauer as he tracks down an old RV commercial salesman who became an Internet phenomenon in the early days of YouTube. In one of the first viral videos, Jack Rebney is featured in a montage of Winnebago outtakes, where he curses without end. When they finally tracked Rebney down, they found a swearing old man with no knowledge of his fame. The movie will hit theaters on July 9th. Hit the jump for the trailer.

Documentarian Ben Steinbauer had this to say when he delivered the trailer to BoingBoing.

I first discovered the “Winnebago Man” clip in 2002, when a friend handed me a VHS tape with a bunch of underground videos. The blurry outtakes of a middle-aged RV salesman having a meltdown, was far and away my favorite. The hilarious barrage of profanity was so jaw-dropping that my roommate and I watched the clip every night for a year. I literally memorized it, and showed it to everyone I knew.

After the online video revolution took off and the “Winnebago Man” turned into one of the first Internet video sensations, I became fascinated that millions of people were watching this man, yet no one knew anything about him. I learned that his name was Jack Rebney, and I eventually hired a private investigator to find out if he was still alive. It turns out that Rebney had been living alone on top of a mountain for more than 15 years, and until recently he had no idea about his online fame or that the outtakes even existed. And that’s when the real story began.

Music Video - "Rabbit Song" by Boy & Bear

2010-05-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

Boy & Bear come out of Australia, and they've just released their first EP. I don't know much about the Australian music scene, but Boy & Bear sound a bit like Fleet Foxes, which isn't a bad thing. I really dig this music video, where we follow a man joining in a game of cowboys and indians while wearing a headdress made out of ties. Good times. Hit the jump for the embedded video.

Commercial - Nike "Write the Future"

2010-05-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

I've never really followed soccer, but even I can't deny just how crazy awesome this commercial is. This TV Spot for Nike's upcoming "Write the Future" campaign was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel and 21 Grams) and features many of soccer's biggest stars. The video is embedded after the jump.

In case your wondering, the featured players are Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Fabio Cannavaro, Franck Ribery, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott, Patrice Evra, Gerard Pique, Ronaldinho, Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Thiago Silva.

Short Documentary - Up There

2010-05-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, there are still people who paint legitimate advertisements on the buildings of New York. I found this really cool documentary over at Fresh Nerd. It's only 12 minutes long and it follows a group of painters as they create a series of Stella Artois advertisements, complete with mixing paints and dangerous scaffolding. Extremely well done. Check it out after the jump.

UP THERE from The Ritual Project on Vimeo

Concept: Mother NY. Production Co: Mekanism. Director/DP/Editor: Malcolm Murray. Music by The Album Leaf. Painters: Colossal Media/Sky High Murals/Bob Middleton. Presented by Stella Artois.

Dealing in Absolutes & Nothing but Pictures

2010-05-14T02:46:00.000-07:00

Because fuck you, that's why.

It's in picture form. Shut up.

Someone didn't think this through.

No one will ever believe you.

You know what, it's my blog. I'll do what I want. Video.

In case you can't tell...

...I'm up late...

...because I'm stupid...

...and put off 2 papers...

...6 pages each...

...and they're due tomorrow...

...I got one done so far...

...and now I'm doing this...

...which is a valid use of my time...

...shut up, it is...

...Okay, I've run out of things to say...

...and pictures.

Dealing in Absolutes & Realists

2010-05-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

The Secret Mission of the Terminator. (YT)

Typed Tweets. It's exactly what it sounds like.

LOST recap. "Across the Sea." (Pajiba)

Inception and Toy Story 3 trailer mash-up. (/F)

LOST series finale could possibly be interrupted by a rogue satellite. (AB)

Arizona governor bans ethnic studies program. (BB)

Zero Punctuation: Nier. (Escapist)

How to permanently delete your Facebook account, since FB is evil and all. (GP)

Believe me when I say... (pic)

World's largest photo. Go ahead and zoom 7x. (PDN)

Review - Kick-Ass

2010-05-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

"Fuck this shit, I'm getting the bazooka!"

-Huge Goon

I was not prepared for just how shit-kickingly awesome Kick-Ass turned out to be. I'm still reeling.

Follow Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), a high school nerd who mostly goes unnoticed, save for the occasional mugging. He's always wanted to be a superhero, so when he orders a costume online, he begins his crusade as the masked vigilante, Kick-Ass. It takes a while for him to get noticed, but then his first real battle results in him becoming an internet phenomenon. But he soon finds out he's in way over his head, especially when compared to the father-daughter duo Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz). He also becomes the focus of mob boss Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong), who allows his son (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) to become Red Mist in order to take Kick-Ass down.

I know Nicolas Cage has been getting a lot of crap lately, what with him not being in a good movie since 2002 (although I heard Bad Lieutenant was worth watching), but he's never not given it his all. Same goes here. But his golden moments don't even come when he's all decked out in his Batman-look-alike costume, Big Daddy. Sure, he's got his own single-shot moment of badassery, but take off that mask and Cage delivers some of the funniest lines of the movie. Seriously, the man is ridiculous. He and the foul-mouthed, ass-kicking Hit-Girl steal the show all the way.

That's not to say the rest of the cast can't hold up. Aaron Johnson is perfect as the nerdy Kick-Ass, with his naivety becoming fully apparent as the movie progresses. He could really use a dropped ball or two, though. There's also some unexpected comedic gold from his comic book shop friends too. And Mintz-Plasse does a great job filling in a McLovin-less role. And let us not forget about Hit-Girl. The movie may as well have focused on her, since she's way more effective and entertaining than any of the would-be heroes.

And the movie's funny, yeah, but it's chalk full of unexpected (and unexpectedly violent) twists and satisfying surprises. Nothing goes the way you expect it to. Director Matthew Vaughn takes all the superhero movie stereotypes and remolds them, turning them into something entirely new, yet familiar. But even when you finally try to expect the unexpected, you'll never see what hit you.

But that's not to say it couldn't be just a bit too violent at times. Sure, it's hard to beat watching Hit-Girl tear down a room full of goons, but when the tables get turned, it's just plain painful to watch men beat on an 11-year-old girl.

Overall: Kick-Ass is relentless, violent, funny, bloody, over the top actiony goodness with no shortage of joyful profanity. Go see it. Just don't blink.

Teaser Trailer - JJ Abrams' Super 8

2010-05-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

Those of you who've seen Iron Man 2 have seen the teaser trailer for the uber-secret film, Super 8. No one knows much about the Steven Speilberg-produced and JJ Abrams-directed project. There's this whole viral thing going on, that eventually leads to countdown to around noon on the 15th. Speculation was that that would be when the teaser trailer would finally go online. Obviously, that's not the case. I assume I'll post something having to do with the 15th (if it's cool enough). But for now, we have the teaser trailer, which was shot independently of the film (which will begin principal photography in the Fall). Oh, and the movie will not be shot using a Super 8 camera, nor is it a sequel/prequel to Cloverfield. Hit the jump for the trailer.

Dealing in Absolutes & Ab Aeterno

2010-05-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

LOST shirt. WANT. Only available today, though. (TeeFury)

Hugh Jackman wins at life. (YT)

Pulp Fiction infographic/timeline thing. Sweetness. (/F)

Rob Zombie guest star podcast. (Nerdist)

Grammar Nazis. (CH)

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 6 times, shame on me. (DS)

Where they want to be touched vs. where you want to touch. (FM)

The 10 Most Anticipated Anti-Blockbuster Movies of the Summer. (Pajiba)

Tron: Legacy photos and concept art. (/F)

Watch Felicia Day answer questions from redditers. Awesome. (YT)

Review - Iron Man 2

2010-05-11T09:00:00.001-07:00

"I'm not saying I'm responsible for this country's longest run of uninterrupted peace in 35 years! I'm not saying that from the ashes of captivity, never has an American saying been more personified. I'm not saying Uncle Sam can kick back on a lawn chair sipping on an ice tea because I haven't come across anyone man enough to face me on my best day!"
-Tony Stark

Hit the jump to read on.

Before we begin, I'd like to take a second to take in just how ridiculously hot Scarlett Johansson was in this movie.

Jesus Christ. And yes, that was necessary. Because honestly, half the fun of watching this movie was watching Scarlett do just about anything. It's painful how hot she is. I could probably end this review right now, and half of you would be satisfied.

But in the name of semi-professional integrity, I won't. Iron Man 2 pretty much picks up right where its predecessor left off. Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr) reveals his identity, and Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) begins to assemble his weapon. Vanko has it in for Stark because of how Stark's dad treated his dad. Early on, it's also established that competitor billionaire Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) wants his hands on the Iron Man technology. Meanwhile, Stark is acting more and more sporadically because the poisonous element that runs his chest-light, while saving his life, is slowly killing him. Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) goes on to be CEO of Stark Industries and The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) goes undercover as Stark's new assistant. One thing leads to another and Vanko attacks Stark on the racetrack with his Whiplash weapon. Soon after, Hammer bankrolls Vanko to make a new fleet of Iron Man-like robots.

First the high points. Writing. It's been a while since I've laughed so hard, and so often. While the overall dialogue wasn't as strong as the first Iron Man, this had a helluva lot of funny-ass quips. Technology. Probably the best part of the movie. There is still nothing cooler than watching RDJ flick his hand across a holographic computer. Action. Oh man, the action. Don Cheadle as War Machine has his moments, but it's still Downey's show. Iron Man had some of the single best action moves in action history, right up there with Iron Man's jump power-punch and The Dark Knight's truck-flip into motorcycle-flip.

A lot of bloggers really hated on this movie, but I don't really see why. Sure, it's not as good as the original, but that doesn't mean it was terrible. The second third was rather slow, again there was a short final fight scene, and no real character development ever came out of Stark possibly dying. If nothing else, Iron Man 2 felt like a placeholder to help establish The Avengers movie, which isn't exactly a bad thing.

Overall: a flawed movie, but no less awesome or entertaining. Can't wait until The Avengers.

Trailer - Waiting for Superman

2010-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing everyone can agree on, it's that our public education system is underfunded and failing the youth. I can complain about college tuition and the lack of classes, but this is affecting kids who can't do a thing about it. From Davis Guggenheim, the director of An Inconvenient Truth, comes Waiting for Superman, a documentary on the sad state of America's public schools. Hit the jump for the trailer.

Much like An Inconvenient Truth, this feels like a lot of stuff we already know. Except for the lottery thing. That took me by surprise. I'd watch the documentary just to see how it works.

Dealing in Absolutes & Star Wars Baby Announcements

2010-05-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

Tarantino really likes this shot. -->

Actors do impressions of other actors. (UnR)

Ignore Stephen Baldwin, Save Joss Whedon. (YT)

"Sonar" is sound represented visually. Pretty awesome actually. (KN)

If Super Mario was made in 2009. (Ko)

Star Wars baby announcement. (YT)

THERE IS NO WAY. (TPS)

Tea Party Jesus.

6 Absurd Gender Stereotypes (That Science Says Are True). (Cracked)

Unskippable: Splinter Cell: Conviction. (Escapist)

Photos - Let Me In

2010-05-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I absolutely loved the Swedish film, Let the Right One In. So it was to my utter amazement that an American remake was planned to be in the works before the original even had a proper screening in the US.

But what's done is done. I can complain until the cows come home. But whether I like it or not, Let Me In is in the works. So I'm going to cover its news in the same manner that I've been covering The Last Airbender news: 4 parts extreme pessimism and 1 part cautious optimism. Hit the jump for the first production stills.

So, we have a picture of our new Eli. Except her name is Abby. She'll be played by Chloe Moretz, who we all know as Hit Girl from Kick-Ass. I just watched that movie last night, and I can safely say that I'm not opposed to that particular casting choice. Definite acting chops on this one, and we know she can do action, but can she pull off the more intimate moments?

And for reference, here's Lina Leandersson as Eli:

Here's the other new picture, showing Abby and ~~Oskar~~Owen (played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, who was The Son in The Road) discussing the finer points of a Rubik's Cube in the courtyard of their apartment complex.

Again, a reference. With Kåre Hedebrant as Oskar:

So, first impressions. Just from the two pictures, I feel like the tone will be about the same, somber and tense, but at the same time relaxed and curious. Also, they seem to stay consistent with the visual style of the original.

*spoilers for Let the Right One In. Highlight to read.*

My biggest concern so far is that they changed Eli's name to something much less androgynous. Are they getting rid of any references to the genital mutilation that went along with his/her transformation into a vampire?

*end spoilers*

Like I said, this remake does not need to be made. Foreign vampire movies like Let the Right One In and Thirst are leagues ahead of American ones. But hopefully, hopefully, the American remake won't be a complete bastardization...

And for good measure, let's throw some posters in there:

Short Film - Street Fighter: Legacy

2010-05-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

From actor Joey Ansah (Bourne Ultimatum), I present to you his personal project, Street Fighter: Legacy. Watch it after the jump.

Pretty legit, all told. Some of the fighting was a little off, like the final flying kicks, which made them look like they were jumping straight up instead of at each other. And if you're gonna have a short film that has nothing but action, I would think you would want to make that as sharp as possible. Thoughts?

Dealing in Absolutes & The Candidate

2010-05-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

Iron Man in all its postery goodness. (OMGP)

The 2010 Mountainfilm Festival is starting up again soon. I didn't even know there was such a thing. (MF)

LOST characters in a younger time. A simpler time.(UnR)

The 6 Most Psychotic Rip-Offs of Famous Animated Films. (Cracked)

LOST recap: "The Candidate." In more awesome news, the series finale has been extended by half an hour. Go team Jacob! (Pajiba)

13 Great Movie Character Intros & Entrances. (Mania)

The Star Wars trilogy with Legos in 2 minutes. (/F)

GET OUT OF THERE! From the creator of "Cinema's Greatest Villians." (YT)

Kat Dennings and puppies. Directed by Robert Rodriguez. (BC)

POP. (YT)

Dealing in Absolutes & a Bridge, Charlie

2010-05-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

Charlie the Unicorn video! (YT)

Bill Murray Reads to Construction Workers at Poets House. (YT)

Unskippable: Magna Carta 2. (TE)

Justin Bieber doesn't know what German is... (YT)

Barack Obama curses like a motherfucker. (AW)

The Big Bang was an explosion OF space, not IN space. (EJ)

Murder by Death has a new album and video out. When did this happen? (HY)

National Geographic takes a look at the set of LOST. Now I must visit. (NG)

Conan O'Brien's inner monologue from the 60 Minutes interview I linked yesterday. (/F)

The Five Best Celebrity Songs on Sesame Street — Contemporary Edition. #1 is genius. (Pajiba)

Stan Lee podcast. (Nerdist)

Color Survey results. (xkcd)

Posters - Tron: Legacy, The Last Airbender, Inception

2010-05-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

Hit the jump for two new posters for The Last Airbender and one for Christopher Nolan's Inception.

The Last Airbender. You know, the more blue and orange posters we get, the more convinced I am that that's all the whole movie is. Releases July 2, 2010. Oh, and please don't see it in 3-D.

Christopher Nolan's Inception. Releases July 16, 2010.

Dark Tower - JJ Abrams is off, Ron Howard is on

2010-05-03T19:03:00.000-07:00

I never thought the Dark Tower movies would actually happen. Even when I heard JJ Abrams would helm the movie(s), I just assumed they would never come to pass. I mean, it was fun to guess who would play who: my picks are James McAvoy as Eddie, Zoe Saldana as Odetta, Jeremy Irons as The Man in Black, someone not Viggo Mortenson or Hugh Jackman playing Roland. Maybe the assumption was more of a hope, a hope that Hollywood would never get its grimy mitts on my precious Dark Tower series.

Well, it looks like it might actually be happening. Just not with the people we expected ... or hoped. Hit the jump for details.

JJ Abrams is off, probably because he's got 20 other projects on his plate. Instead, Ron Howard will direct, Brian Grazer will produce, and...wait for it...Akiva Goldsman will be writing the script.

Goldsman is known for writing Lost in Space and Batman and Robin, as well as A Beautiful Mind. Obviously he's not the best person for the job, no denying it, but it's too early to tell whether Howard's company will completely bastardize it or not.

Now that The Dark Tower might actually be going into production sometime relatively soon, I think it's time to go about reading those books again...except maybe Wizards & Glass.

So what's your verdict. A competent team? Who you expected? Who do you think should be cast as Roland?

Dealing in Absolutes & Unamused Cleverbots

2010-05-03T16:57:00.000-07:00

Cleverbot is like those AIM bots of old, but way more socially aware. Check out this forum for more crazy examples.

Celebrities and their cartoon look-alikes. (TC)

Best self-pic ever. (pic)

This guy wants his idiot dog back. (IAB)

Christian Nightmares. Enjoy. (CN)

Conan O'Brien's first interview on 60 Minutes. (/F)

"When you're only text friends" (Boston)

Goldeneye: The Video Game: The Movie. (CH)

Safe! Holy crap he's safe! (gif)

Dealing in Absolutes & the Might of Thor

2010-04-30T18:36:00.000-07:00

A first look at Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Is it just me or does his armor look like plastic? (right)

The Empire Strikes Back original trailer. With voice over by Harrison Ford. (/F)

Piranha 3-D! No more really needs to be said. (/F)

Christina Hendricks...Why are you still here? Go! (MoF, from Andrew)

Technotise, that anime-turned-movie I talked about a while back, now has a new one-sheet. Thanks to reader Ron Young. (TL)

Greatest logo I've ever seen. (pic)

A boy with cancer gets to be a superhero for a day. (ST)

Family Portraits of all 56 Ethnic Groups in China. (CH)

Teaser Trailer - Buried

2010-04-30T17:44:00.000-07:00

One man. Buried alive. In a coffin. 90 minutes. Possibly in real time. Starring Ryan Reynolds. Nothing else. Just Ryan Reynolds in a coffin for 90 minutes. This is the movie that turned Sundance on its head. And this is the movie I am way excited for. Hit the jump for a synopsis, poster, and the teaser trailer.

Hooray for claustrophobia!

"Paul Conroy is not ready to die. But when he wakes up 6 feet underground with no idea of who put him there or why, life for the truck driver and family man instantly becomes a hellish struggle for survival. Buried with only a cell phone and a lighter, his contact with the outside world and ability to piece together clues that could help him discover his location are maddeningly limited. Poor reception, a rapidly draining battery, and a dwindling oxygen supply become his worst enemies in a tightly confined race against time- fighting panic, despair and delirium, Paul has only 90 minutes to be rescued before his worst nightmare comes true."

(Click to enlarge)

Review - Dollhouse Season 2

2010-04-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Review - Dollhouse Season 2

Hit the jump to read on.

The final episode of the first season of Dollhouse was available only on the DVD. It showed a future where the technology had been loosed on the world, and anybody could be turned into a doll. Joss Whedon made the episode to show where he wanted the show to eventually go, since he assumed (like everyone else) that his show would once again be cancelled. To everyone's surprise, Dollhouse was renewed for a second season, so Whedon set about showing the circumstances that led up to his apocalyptic future.

Dollhouse, if nothing else, is a character-driven show. And it's the characters and their interactions that make it so entertaining. Topher's (Fran Kranz) relationship with Bennet (Summer Glau) is just way too heart-warmingly nerdy. Victor and Sierra are equally as cute, but their relationship has been building since day one. Alan Tudyk as the awesomely psychopathic Alpha still gives the best performance ever, even if he was only in a couple episodes. And really, Eliza Dushku was not nearly as bad as everyone says she is.

Season two had some really solid episodes, but sadly there were only a few of them. "A Love Supreme" features Alpha in his old maniacal self (or selves), but sadly that's the last we see of him for a while. "The Attic" delivered intensely creepy and powerful punches that lead to the beginning of the end.The final episode, "Epitaph Two: Return," was a direct sequel to the last season's "Epitaph One." And once again it is the best of the season. The post-apocalyptic future is much more engaging than any episode in present time, and Whedon could make a whole show out of just that. Too bad he didn't.

Season two was much like season one, in that it took a while to get back on its feet. But, again like the first season, things really picked up towards the end. Instead of seeing all the different puzzle pieces fall into place, I felt like I was just watching everyone go through the motions. But then I realized that by giving his show a definite finishing point, Whedon was able to avoid any potential sidetracks like we saw in the first season. The show ended on the mark, and had hugely satisfying twists that no one saw coming. It really did feel like I was watching a show I didn't already know the ending of. This isn't Joss Whedon's best show by any stretch, but it deserves an honorable mention.

Dealing in Absolutes & Wild Abras

2010-04-30T00:15:00.000-07:00

Wild Abra used teleport! (pic)

Princess Leia metal bikini car wash. (FD)

Arnold never stops being funny. (from Andrew)

Trailer for Black Death. Boromir lives! (/F)

6 Stories About Disneyland They Didn't Want You to Know. (Cracked)

Ten Movies That Take Place in One Day. (Pajiba)

Real Life Calvin & Hobbes. Everybody say it with me: "awwwww." (URM)

Stop motion graffiti is always cool. (FN)

Garfield Minus Garfield. Jon is a troubled, lonely man. (GMG)

Evolution Timeline is kinda bewildering. I feel small. (An)

Supersonic Electronic. This is pretty much the greatest music video for anything evar. (YT)

Jonah Hex Trailer

2010-04-29T13:15:00.000-07:00

The trailer for Jonah Hex is finally upon us, just two short months before its premiere. I haven't read the graphic novel, but what kind of pretentious movie reviewer would I be if I didn't go read it before I saw the movie? The trailer itself doesn't look too bad, with lots of explosions and cheesy one-liners. Just ignore Megan Fox though... Check it out after

Last Week in Review (Kinda)

2010-04-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Reviewed - Clash of the Titans, Ink, Interview with a Vampire, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, and Archer

Film
Clash of the Titans (2010)
This movie just fell short in a lot of areas. I came in with pretty low expectations. But what I did expect was mind numbing action-y awesomeness. What I got instead were crap writing, flat jokes, and uninspired acting (save for Liam Neeson of course). And I think this is one of those instances where showing the biggest reveal in the first trailer was kind of a mistake. Especially when they spend 15-20 minutes finally revealing the Kraken only to have him (her?) be taken down within 5 in the exact way everyone said it would be taken down. Not much suspense there. And I have it on good authority that most of the mythology they use is pretty much wrong. But of course, everything looked really cool. Medusa's design was sufficiently creepy and the Gods' round-table made them look like literal giants atop the world. Oh, and I'm really glad I saw Clash of the Titans in regular old 2D. No need for 3D whatsoever.

A soldier: "Every step we take is an insult to the gods."

Ink (2009)
If I had seen this movie before I had made my Top Films of 2009 list, I don't think I would have had trouble putting it in the Top 5. Barely anyone saw it when it came out last September (only 4 reviews on RT, all positive), but really, everyone should see this movie. Dealing in elements of alternate reality fantasy, a good deal of satisfying action, and a powerful father-daughter relationship grounded at the center, Ink promises to be a strong and steady work of art. What's even more amazing is that they filmed this movie with a $250,000 budget, so the beautiful visuals and creatively executed effects were all the more impressive, even more so because they didn't sacrifice their wonderful script in the name of them.

Emma: "I'm not dreaming?"
John: "No, you're not. You're not dreaming..."

Interview with a Vampire (1994)
Overall, I was just disappointed with this movie. And I know, I know. I've already been criticized for my criticism. But when it comes to movies, I'm pretty open-minded. I went into Clash of the Titans with high hopes, after all. But Interview just didn't do it for me. I'm sure it was groundbreaking in its day, and I will give it credit for not having a human girl fall desperately in love with a male vampire (i.e. Buffy, Twilight, Angel, True Blood, everything), but it was just so long and drawn out. Maybe I'm at my limit for vampire media, but what I think is actually happening is that vampire TV shows and movies have been following a natural evolution. Where once vampires were a unknown beast, Interview was the movie to humanize them. Since then, we've had nothing but humanized vampires. What made Interview with a Vampire groundbreaking then is simply run-of-the-mill now. But I do have to say, Kirsten Dunst was pretty remarkable for her age.

Claudia: "It's time we were on our way. I'm hungry, and the city awaits."

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2009)
Crisis is the latest of DC's stellar series of animated movies, following the incredibly fun Superman: Doomsday, Batman: Gotham Knight, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, and Wonder Woman and the mostly fun Justice League: New Frontier and Green Lantern: First Flight. Hell, that's quite a list already, and the DC animated studio doesn't seem to be slowing down (Batman: Under the Red Hood comes out this summer). This latest animated movie deals with the Justice League we already know and their evil counterparts on an alternate-reality earth. Superman has Ultraman, Wonder Woman has Superwoman, Batman has Owlman (who obviously looks a little like Night Owl), etc. In this alternate Earth, our heroes must face this organized group of supervillians and stop them from destroying their own world as well. It's a creative and well-written story, and has all the elements of a successful and awesome animated movie, even if Kevin Conroy isn't the voice of Batman. Speaking of Batman, or rather his counterpart, Owlman is especially effective because his actions so closely resemble Batman's if the Dark Knight had gone down the path of darkness. Although, Batman is pretty dark in this movie... As a sidenote, there was a short film for The Spectre included in the DVD, also definitely worth your time.

Owlman: "Every decision we make is meaningless because somewhere, on a parallel Earth, we have already made the opposite choice. We're nothing. Less than nothing."

Television
Archer S01 (2009)
I don't even know where this show came from, but it's just freakin' ridiculous. Hilariously absurd and entirely inappropriate, Archer just takes everything you'd expect from an Adult Swim show and makes it so so much better. Archer is a secret agent who is pretty much an insensitive asshole when it comes to anything normal, but for whatever reason is competently badass while on assignment. It's got some great talent along with it, including writers and voice work from Arrested Development (Jessica Walter as Archer's mom is particularly hilarious). I don't think I can recommend this enough. There are only 10 episodes and each episode is less than half an hour, so go watch them all. FX renewed it for another season, so I expect each and every one of you to catch up in time.

Archer: "Aw, don't cry. You're so ugly when you cry."

*And yes, I've pretty much given up on any old reviews. Only way I'm gonna get back into things*

The Raven - Short Film

2010-04-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

The Raven follows a man who "possesses a power that could lead to the destruction of the current regime, and they will stop at nothing to destroy him. The chase is on as Chris runs for his life in this sci-fi thriller set in an alternate and futuristic Los Angeles."

Made with just $5,000, Ricardo de Montreuil's six minute short film is making a buzz around Hollywood, which seems like a good way to go to get your feature-length project financed by the big wigs (much like The Gift did a few weeks back). Check it out after the jump.

Dealing in Absolutes & Gingersnaps

2010-04-28T17:17:00.000-07:00

The Ten Hottest Gingers. I don't think it gets more definitive than this list. And look! It's got something for everybody. (Pajiba)

True Blood isn't even coming back until June, so this mini-episode is just cruel. (WG)

It's a Trap! Number 16 scares the ever-longing shit out of me. (TC)

Craigslist has the best ads. Don't believe me? This one's called "You stuck my flashdrive in your vagina." (IAB)

10 Great Overlooked Performances in Comic Book Films and TV Shows. Seriously, Batman Returns should have just been called "Batman: The Rise of Catwoman." (Mania)

LOST. I suppose this gif was just asking for it. (from Wyatt)

Zero Punctuation: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. (TE)

Resonant Chamber has awesome CGI, great acoustic guitar music, and a definite creep factor. (YT)

Super Smash Bros. Melee now has tribute videos. That must mean it's irrelevant now. Ha! (YT, from Wyatt)

Pink Floyd's "Echoes" matches up near perfectly with a segment of 2001: A Space Odyssey. (GV, from Andrew)

Dealing in Absolutes & a LOST-less Week

2010-04-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

LOST. Do you want a poster for every single episode? Of course you do. (Flickr)

The Muppets are awesome. And they're in a podcast. (TN)

5 Movie Characters Who Should Have Died But Didn't. (Cin)

Best Fictional Bands in Movies. (UnR)

R.L. Stine created Eureeka's Castle? Bwah? (MF)

The Ultimate Summer 2010 Trailer. Epic would be selling it short. (YT)

LOST. Pretty much everything you could ever want to read on it...ever. (Wired, from Andrew)

Bat out of Hell. (EC)

Slightly Minimalist superhero posters. (SR)

???? - Only use link in dire situations.

Dealing in Absolutes & Graffiti Sneak Attacks

2010-04-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

Banksy, a graffiti artist who's true identity is a mystery, struck in SF over the weekend. (SFL, from Andrew)

Shot lists are the way to go for backpacking photography. (BB)

5 Worst Deaths Written for Great Characters. (Cracked)

This. Is funny. (K, from Wyatt)

Some People by Luke Pearson, seen to the right, is really sad and awesome. (DA, via EC)

Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear just wants a Toy Story 3 viral video hug. (/F)

Vincent Kartheiser, aka Pete Campbell or Connor from Angel, doesn't own a toilet. (CB)

The Looney Tunes are returning to Cartoon Network. I'd watch it. (Cin)

Betty White's SNL promo. I seriously cannot wait for this. (DL)

Obama went hiking. And this guy was struck dumb. (BP)

Born Ruffians have this reeeeally cool music video out, which uses a a vintage oscilloscope. (SG)

Dealing in Absolutes & Single Malt Scotches

2010-04-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles drawn spectacularly badass. (OMGP)

Johnny Cash Project: a video brought to you by contributing artists frame by frame. (JCP)

Five Kick Ass Single Malt Scotches. Become purified as a man. (FG)

Sleep Talkin' Man isn't normally an asshole when he's awake. (STM)

DJ Jesus died for your spins. From Andrew. (CP)

Ok Go podcast. (TN)

Flush is an absolutely awesome Monty Python-style rap video. (YT)

The Flaming Lips are covering Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. (SG)

"When Lincoln Paid," a long lost 1913 silent film, is no longer long lost. (GITS)

Mario 63 is crazy addictive. You've been warned. Also from Andrew. (NG)

Reaching the Summit is Optional. Getting Down is Mandatory.

2010-04-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

Reviewed - Frontline: Storm Over Everest, Everest: Beyond the Limit S01, and Everest: IMAX. Hit the jump to read on.

Frontline: Storm Over Everest
In 1996, eight mountaineers died after a freak storm pummeled the peak of Mt. Everest with 90 mph winds and extreme sub temperatures down to -100 degrees. Narrated by the interviews of the survivors, some of whom lost all of their fingers and toes to frostbite, this documentary recounts those tragic days on the summit in astonishing detail. It's extremely interesting to see the decision-making process of some of the expedition leaders, the heroics of certain team members, and how some climbers survived despite being left for dead in the middle of a freezing storm somewhere in the "Death Zone." The reenactments are little more than set pieces to keep the movie more visually engaging, since the most fascinating parts are the interviews themselves. This documentary puts aside the debates long held by mountain climbers around the world and simply tells the stories of survival.

A clear mind and sound judgment is absolutely critical in a crisis. Which is why this next TV series makes me cringe in so many ways.

Everest: Beyond the Limit S01
If there was one thing demonstrated to me during this six-episode series, it's that Mt. Everest has been over-commercialized so that anyone with $40,000 and a dream can attempt to conquer its face, even when they don't have the experience or skills to do so. While Russel Brice, the climbing guide featured in the show, is able to maintain a clear head by staying below the Death Zone, he still exemplifies the process that lets just about anyone with enough money onto Everest. What results is a literal traffic jam of inexperienced climbers stuck waiting in line just 100 feet below the summit. Only so many of the climbers in his expedition made it to the top, and some of the ones who failed almost died because they refused to listen to Brice's orders. Climbing Mt. Everest is not to be taken lightly, but it wasn't until the climbers neared the top that they even considered the possibility that they could die on this trip. But that's just with content, and doesn't signify how good or bad the show is. Most of my problems with the show came from their editing department. I would assume that when people watch this show, they want to see the process of how someone could climb Mt. Everest, so I would assume that there would be some footage on what the actual climb looks like. I know, how silly of me. But all told, there was probably about 15 minutes of actual climbing in the 6 hour series. But even those scenes were cut to look like a YouTube skateboarding video, with shaky cameras and quick cuts that don't give you half a sense of what climbing the mountain is actually like. It's like the producers thought that their audience would be bored of watching someone climb a cliff 2 miles in the air, or walking along a makeshift ladder bridge over a bottomless crevasse. Plus, whenever something foreboding happened, there was someone whispering in the background, "Ever...ever...ever...est...est...est," and that shit's just patronizing.

So you can understand my happiness when I watched this next 45 minute film, where there were EXPERIENCED climbers and you could actually SEE them climbing.

Everest: IMAX
The expedition for this movie set out for two reasons. One: to get an IMAX camera to the top of Mt. Everest. And two: to help a geologist plant sensors on the peak in order to further understand the properties of earthquakes. However, one thing they didn't plan on covering was the 1996 Everest disaster. But according to Ed Viestur, the climber prominently featured in the movie, they didn't even consider filming any of the disaster, which is both respectable and commendable. It's an amazingly filmed movie, especially considering the weight of the IMAX camera was somewhere close to 45 lbs. (which was actually pretty light for the time). Each scene was meticulously shot, with little to no camera shaking, which is especially difficult with wind conditions. It just goes to show how a legitimate film crew can make a much better film when they have some skill and personal involvement.

Lots of Singles to Share

2010-04-09T15:49:00.000-07:00

My brother Stephan asked me for some new music last night, so I wrote up a whole list for him, including some alt. country, rap, blues, all kinds. Most of these are pretty recent, since I just started following some music blogs. So I thought I'd share the singles from that list with the rest of you, as I think they're all awesome in one way or another. Most of the links will take you to their videos on YouTube. Hit the jump to check 'em out.

Miguel - "All I Want is You" [feat. J. Cole]
Pretty laid back and relaxing. It's a cool mix of rap and R&B. You'll like this one.

Two & Boy Wonder - "Skai Hai" [prod. by Rieces Pieces]
What can I say? This is a sick song. I really dig the main chorus, and the rapping is not bad at all.

Love Junkie - "Donwill"
Just some cool rap, this video isn't complete tho, so you check out the remix too, which I like better anyways

Jamie Cullum - "Don't Stop The Music"
This is a jazz cover of Rhianna's pop song of the same name. I listened to both, and this is considerably better, no surprise. The video is really cool too.

Aloe Blacc - "I Need A Dollar"
I just really dig this song. I haven't heard anything else by this dude, so I might have to go on a hunt for more.

Listener - "Ozark Empire, or a snake oil salesman comes to your town."
I have honestly never heard anything like this guy. It's part Captain Beefheart, part rap, part spoken word, part sung word. The only beat is a guy banging a baseball bat against a washing machine. Give it a listen, obviously it's not for everyone.

Nameless - BE[ats]ORIGINAL Vol. 2
I haven't listened to the whole album, but my favorite so far is the 2nd track, "No Xscapin.'" You can download the whole album here for free and legally.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Beat The Devil's Tattoo"
This isn't so much a single as a new video for an existing track. This song has basically been on repeat since last night. I should listen to the rest of the album too, which is also called Beat the Devil's Tattoo.

Titus Andronicus - "A More Perfect Union"
This is a new video for their album, The Monitor, which is a punk rock concept album which explores some of the causes of the Civil War. Halfway through the album as we speak, and it's definitely growing on me.

Playing Catch-Up: Reviews When They Come 1

2010-02-23T19:00:00.000-08:00

Obviously, I'm way behind on my reviews, as many of you are eager to point out to me. I usually try to group each set of reviews into a weekly post, but a powerful and effective combination of life, vacation, and sheer laziness got in the way. But fear not, my younglings! All is not lost! Yes! I have indeed written a few reviews ('tis but a few), so I will post them now, in an attempt to motivate myself. I'll post whatever I have in small clumps. Hopefully I'll catch up soon. We'll see. Hit the jump.

Film
Voices of a Distant Star (2003)
What's impressive about this 25-minute anime short is that one guy made the entire thing on his home computer. He and his finance did the voices. And while I can appreciate the effort that went into it, Voices of a Distant Star was just not very exciting to watch. The story follows two middle-school aged friends, and the girl joins the world army to go and attack some aliens. Their only means of communication is through text message, and as the girl travels father away, it takes longer for him to receive the texts. She ends up eight light years away, so it takes eight years for the messages to reach him. You spend the better part of a half hour waiting for something to happen, and when it finally does, the action couldn't save the slow pace. So what am I supposed to take away from this movie? That long-distance relationships don't work? Probably not. But it's hard to take anything concrete away when you can't really relate to the characters.

Noboru Terao: "It's just that... I will become someone who only waits for Mikako's mail."

Family Guy: Something, Something, Something, Dark Side (2009)
The first Family Guy Star Wars episode was incredibly funny and original. This second one... not so much. It may just be me, but I felt like there were more Family Guy-related jokes than actual Star Wars parody. In many instances, not even an attempt at a joke was made, just Family Guy characters in Star Wars roles. Don't get me wrong, it had its moments -- the Chicken as Boba Fett was a nice touch -- but these two major flaws simply showed that Seth MacFarlene is running out of ideas. I'm not really looking forward to the third (and hopefully final) installment.

Peter Griffin as Han Solo: "Dah-ha! Look, the Giant Chicken's Boba Fett!"

Television
Californication Season 3
The majority of this season of Californication was an extreme disappointment. The plot line was contrived and redundant, the characters were overbearing and idiotic, and Hank Moody himself was triple the level of obnoxious that we're used to seeing in previous seasons. I watched over half the season hoping it would turn around, but eventually let it sit for over a month and a half. I finally watched the final two episodes, and while the second to last episode was more of the same, the season finale was by far some of the best acting and most dramatic, depressing, heart-breaking episodes in recent television history. Probably what made it so effective was the fact that it had nothing to do with the rest of the season. But that's also the reason I feel gypped out of a legitimately good season with a substitute finale whose only purpose was to create a new problem for next season. Right now I feel depressed and sad because that's how the season finale wanted me feel, but also because this show has so much potential and they squander it on dick jokes and frontal nudity.

Hank Moody: "You can't snort a line of coke off a woman's ass and not wonder about her hopes and dreams, it's not gentlemanly."