EW's Idolatry Puts the Kabosh On My Gokey Crush

That's a whole lot of awkward on one stage

It's American Idol Tuesday!

In celebration, I bring you two Idolatry videos from EW.com. These guys always crack me up. Though I think it may be Kristen Baldwin's goal in life to end my crush on Danny Gokey. And she might have won with this video. Although he will always have the odd Robert Downey Jr vibe that I find to be incredibly sexy.

Michael mentions having a gut feeling that the final three will be Allison, Kris and Adam. That would certainly be interesting.

But they're WAY too harsh on Adam Lambert & Matt Giraud.

Anyway, enjoy! Be sure to check out their videos every week. Always enjoyable.

Video 1 - Danny, Kris, Allison, etc
Video 2 - Anoop, Alexis, Adam, Matt, etc

As for my thoughts regarding tonight?

Who may rock: Alexis, Matt, Allison, who will all kick ass with their bluesy, raspy voices, probably Adam & Danny, who will be solid and possibly Kris & Lil, depending on what they do with the songs. Could be boring and bland or randomly awesome.

Hmmm...I have an odd feeling Kris will be amazing this week. Maybe it's the videos that did it. And also an odd feeling that Adam not be as amazing this week. Also, probably because of the videos.

Who may falter: Michael, Scott, Anoop, Megan

I'm thinking either Scott, Michael or Anoop will be heading home after tonight. Megan's too pretty to not make it into the tour.

Again, looking forward to seeing how totally wrong I am! I got lucky last week :).

P.S. Click here to see available song choices for tonight's show. Come on girls, rock the Patsy Cline! See full post

Missed Kings? Wanna Download it for Free?

I definitely missed Kings Sunday night. Had been meaning to watch it, but for some reason thought it aired on Mondays. Thankfully, iTunes is offering a free HD download of the pilot for those of us who are interested in seeing if our cup of tea. Got great reviews, but bear in mind it also got terrible ratings. So there's a chance this show won't be sticking around for much longer. But hey, if the ratings didn't suck, we probably wouldn't be getting a free download in the first place. I mean, this was the only way I was ever gonna see the pilot after missing it (I can't deal with Hulu constantly skipping. Stupid internet connection.) and if I love it, I'll definitely set a season pass on my dvr.

In any event, click here for the free iTunes download and let me know what you think! See full post

i can't believe this exists, volume 1. [attention cinephiles]

i can't believe this exists. okay, quick story. i was in 8th grade when jesus christ himself decided to bless the good people of earth with the digital versatile disc, and still in 8th grade when the demi-gods over at criterion decided to bless the digital versatile disc with akira kurosawa's "seven samurai." a film i blindly ordered on amazon with the credit card i stole from my mom's underwear drawer (hey, it's better than the hamper) in anticipation for my forthcoming trip to japan. it pretty much tore me in half from scrotum to spinal cord... okay, that moment of freudian thievery may have had farther reaching implications than was first thought... i popped it in, went from curious to quizzical to "what the eff is that feral woodland creature?" (later perusal of the credits would reveal it to be toshiro mifune), to... dawn.

i've never aged so much in 208 minutes. i now own the entire criterion collection (dvd and blu-ray... laser discs, alas, continue to elude my grasp, budget, and logic), have been to japan several times, graduated from college with a degree in film studies, blah blah blah lots of narcissistic stuff later... the point is that it seems in retrospect to have been a pretty pivotal moment for me. my star wars, so to speak. kurosawa may no longer be my favorite filmmaker (that dubious honor probably goes to herzog, at the moment) or even my favorite japanese filmmaker (nagisa oshima is one "death by hanging" criterion blu-ray away from snatching that honor), but he's absolutely a hero of mine and an indelible lynchpin of my formative years. having plowed through the epic account of his working relationship with toshiro mifune - "the emperor and the wolf" - on more than one occasion, he's also become something of a role model as well. like paul rudd, but with an affinity for little fisher hats and ryokans.

annnyhooooo, this is a really circuitous way of saying that the picture below is pretty much el dorado, for me. you can follow the link for the story, which is absolutely charming in its own right, but this picture... well, its' "i can't believe this exists" -ness doesn't really need any more explanation, or any explanation at all other than the names of those captured therein.

Click to enlarge

oh, also, i should note that my favorite coppola is the daughter and not the dad (don't fight it, just let me be), so this picture holds even more value as a bizarre piece of ephemera. cause yeah, that's little sofia next to the introspective, shaded kurosawa. and the photographer - as the linked article would reveal - is the inimitable wim wenders, director of wings of desire, paris, texas, and... more pertinently (kind of), tokyo-ga.

and GAH (that's a segue i didn't think i'd ever come across, let alone write)... what a photo. really made my day yesterday. but i'm a simple man.

oh, and click here for the link to the article in the guardian See full post

I Don't Have An Unhealthy Obsession With Nite Owl Or Anything...[Quick Thought]

Was just lookin around my room and realized...I may have a problem

Nite Owl Coffee & Nite Owl Figure

Nite Owl Poster

Sketch of Nite Owl drawn for me by Dave Gibbons

See full post

Geek Force Championship?! What's Happening?! Awesome!

Randomly found this on Twitter and while I'm still not quite sure what it is, I'm excited!!!

It looks like some sort of Geek battle to figure out the ultimate champion of Geeks.



There is some voting that begins tomorrow and I suppose this voting determines the winner of each...bracket? I never understood how brackets work. I'm not into sports that require brackets. The word bracket is kind of off-putting, no? Okay, moving on.

The first battles, for some reason, having to do with how brackets work, are between the following:

Judd Apatow Vs Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Superman Vs Preacher
Apple Vs Diggnation
High School Musical Vs Nirvana

I'm going with Buffy, Preacher, Apple & Nirvana. Superman will beat Preacher, I just personally would pick Preacher cause I've read more Preacher than anything Superman. Yikes. Does that make me a weird, fucked up geek?

Head over to Geek Force Five to participate. Sounds like fun! I'll definitely be voting! See full post

Buffy #23 Features Best. Page. Ever. [Geekgasm!]

So I was finally catching up on my comics...I'm about three months behind, so I have A LOT to catch up on. Since I was only two issues behind on Buffy Season 8, I read those first. Then, in Buffy #23, I came across this bit from Andrew. This comes right after Xander asks Buffy if she's sure she can handle "hours and hours of travel time" with master geek Andrew. Now, here's the page, click to enlarge



See, what'd I tell you? Haha, thank you Drew Greenberg for this glory! I'm pretty sure I've expressed Andrew's exact same sentiments at various points in my life. Although never would I take Dee's side when talking Battlestar.

And in case you were wondering, after this panel, Buffy and Andrew proceed to geek bond over their mutual admiration of Daniel Craig. They love how he's "gritty, real AND vulnerable." Heart. See full post

Planetary is Fucking Awesome. Buy it Right Now. [Guest Blogger Alert!]

Brendan returns! This time with some thoughts on Planetary, a series mentioned in After Watchmen, What's Next? If you are looking for something great to read, maybe this is the one for you!




Planetary: All Around The World and Other Stories, The Fourth Man, Leaving The Twentieth Century

Written by Warren Ellis

Art by John Cassady

Let's get this out of the way first: Planetary is fucking awesome. Buy it. Buy it right now.

Yet it's the things that make Planetary so awesome (and it's so, so great) that make it very hard to talk about. Like the series' central characters, archeologists of the unknown, the chief joy of reading Planetary is figuring out who's who. Because of legal restrictions, the Wildstorm comic renames most of the characters and situations the leads find themselves in, though a few are instantly recognizable.

Ellis has created a world where a financially limitless organization (Planetary) and its teams around the world investigate the secret history of the twentieth century – a history that includes heroes pulp and super alike. Some of these appear for only a frame, often without a name. The issue that opens the second trade (“The Fourth Man”)has the team attending the funeral of Jack Carter, a London magician/con artist/chain smoker....and everyone who's encountered him shows up. If you got chills at that last bit – who might show up at John Constantine's funeral, given that the character's appeared in stories by Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore – Planetary is full of that kind of thing. It's not just comics, either – Ellis draws from the entire pop culture landscape of the twentieth century. Our heroes Elijah Snow, Jakita Wagner, and the Drummer can battle giant ants one issue, then find themselves in a John Woo/Hong Kong movie the next.

More after the jump!

I'm a sucker for this shared universe, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Wold-Newton universe crap, so Planetary had me from the concept alone. But if seeing all these characters and genres exist side by side is one of the joys of Planetary, watching Ellis play with them is just as 'fucking awesome'. Again, to go into further detail is to spoil the fun of the series, but Planetary's way of telling stories – weaving the series arc alongside and into various stand-alones – makes each new chapter another adventure. One of my favorite issues so far (at the end of “All Around The World,” the first trade) has Planetary investigating the creation of a Hulk-like character. The story's told in such a way that you kind of figure out where they're going, but the last page is like a punch to the gut. “Magic & Loss,” from the second trade, is probably the best issue of the series, as Ellis reintroduces you to some old friends...some very old and familiar friends. To say anymore would wreck the power of the issue.

The original characters Ellis creates are primarily a vehicle for him to tell these stories, but they all stand out in their own way. Elijah Snow, and his journey of re-discovery through the series, is Iceman by way of Harrison Ford, if Harrison Ford was over 100 years old. (That journey of discovery becomes more prominent around the second trade, and the ending to that reminded me that I should read more comics...because I love when they make me go “Yes!”) He's a suitably cranky protagonist for the series' outlandish turns, just as Jakita Wagner is suitably bad-ass and tough (without being the kind of exploitative bad-ass and tough that most comic heroines are). The third member of Planetary, the techno whiz 'The Drummer', isn't as memorable, more of a guy for Snow to riff off rather than be his own entity. But he's not annoying – I like him, but not as much as I like Snow and Wagner.

I've liked Jon Cassaday's work for a while, and he definitely knows how to use the splash page and the rectangular panel. One of my most common criticisms in comic art (despite being a guy who knows nothing about these things) is a lack of consistency between panels – a character can look entirely different from one frame to the next. That's not a problem here, and Cassaday seems to be having just as much fun working in the different styles the stories call for as Ellis does making them up. There's a gorgeous issue in the first trade

Unfortunately, there's quite a large gap between the last trade and the end of the series, but investing in the first three are well worth your dollar. It's no surprise that it's listed on DC's site as something to read after Watchmen. I'd actually recommend this as a good transition point between Watchmen and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen – it's subversive like Watchmen but lighter, and it's really smart without having the intimidating intellectual undercurrent that LOEG. You don't need to be familiar with the last 400 years of fiction like you do with that one. The last trade's scheduled for release this summer, but Planetary's so rich and rewarding that I'm going to try and find those issues, oh, you know, tomorrow. Otherwise, I'd just re-read the trades again and again. After diving into the alternate universe Ellis's created, I bet you will too.

And just wait till you see who the chief villains are. Like I said: fucking awesome.
See full post

Bipolar Movie Challenge #3 [Game!]

And now, the third and final installment (until they make another) of Time Out NY's Bipolar Movie Challenge.

In case you don't know, Time Out NY juxtaposed the video from one scene from one movie with the audio from a completely different scene from a completely different movie. Name both movies. Post your guesses in the comments section! Clue: Each pair of movies has something either obvious or obscure in common.

Enjoy!



Challenge #1
Challenge #2 (Plus answers for challenge #1!)

Answers to Challenge #2 after the jump!

1. Donnie Darko /Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
2. Almost Famous / Dog Day Afternoon
3. Sideways / Gold Rush
4. Night of the Living Dead /Kids
5. Chasing Amy /Y Tu Mama Tambien
6. Freaks / Boogie Nights
7. Thelma and Louise / The Love Bug
8. Election / The Ten Commandments
9. Duck Soup / Saving Private Ryan
10. Scarface / Superman
See full post

Would You Go To This Event In 1982? [Found]

Saw this randomly sitting around my family's home and thought I should share


Would you have gone there then? And would you go now? If everyone was there, including those who are no longer alive? Wasn't there an episode of Futurama like that?

And in case you're wondering, this is an issue of Starlog from 1982 with Harrison Ford on the cover for Blade Runner. That's my family for you! P.S. I love Starlog :) See full post

Minority Report Becomes Real? [New Tech]

Woah.

Got a tip today about some new tech that was unveiled at TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) a couple days ago. Here's how they describe the tech,

It's a wearable device with a projector that paves the way for profound interaction with our environment. Imagine "Minority Report" and then some.

Get it? Yeah I didn't either until I watched this insane video. And trust me, watch the whole thing. The demonstrations don't really start til a couple minutes in, but you'll wanna hear what she has to say about it. Man, I just said "shut the fuck up" to the computer so many times in just a couple of minutes. As if we weren't already consumed with technology! It's the future! AHHH.



For more, head to the TED website. See full post

The Nicolas Cage Movie Plot Generator [Silly Fun aka BRILLIANCE?!]

The Cracked website just made me so happy.

They wrote this,

1. Nicolas Cage is an Oscar winning Hollywood movie star who abruptly quit acting at the height of his abilities.

2. He has starred in dozens of films since that time.

3. Cage is one of the youngest actors ever to enter the "Seriously, I Don't Give a Shit" stage of his career. And while actors like Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro have perfected the art of phoning-in a performance, nobody has quite matched Cage's ability to make us wonder if he's fucking with us.

4. Post giving a shit, Cage films are plotted in much the way burritos are ordered at Chipotle. By choosing different combinations from a small, fixed menu, Cage has been able to release an endless variety of barely different films.

Then posted this (click to enlarge),



Times like these call for THIS classic video!!!



Hat Tip: Worst Previews See full post

Listen to Hurley Creating His Own Future [Lost Insanity]

Instructions:

Click here to head to "This Place is Death", episode 5x05 of Lost.

Go to 3:05

Listen for the voice reading the numbers over the radio. Specifically for the number 23. It's during the above frame.

Is that a somber Hurley with the weight of the world on his shoulders or is that a somber Hurley with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Go back to 3:05 and listen again.

Freak out. See full post

How To Adapt "It" Properly, by Brendan M Leonard [Guest Blogger Alert!]

Welcome, Guest Blogger, Brendan M. Leonard!

Today, Brendan brings us a two-parter on the remake of "It" that Warners supposedly has in the works.

Part One below!



The Hollywood Reporter ran a story today announcing that Warner Brothers will be following up Watchmen with a remake of another hard-to-adapt pop lit classic: Stephen King's It.

Among King fans, there are The Stand people and there are It people. I am an It person, and since the list of nerd properties I wanted to adapt myself is fast dwindling (see also: Preacher, Fables, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay), I put together some thoughts on how the adaptation should be done and who should do it, after the jump...

It, released in 1986 as King's magnum opus (before he finished The Dark Tower), previously found its way into the mind of a generation through the 1990 ABC miniseries. This miniseries got a lot of play on USA through the 90s, and can be summed up with three little words:

“That fucking clown.”

Tim Curry's portrayal of Bob Grey aka Pennywise the Dancing Clown aka It sits alongside those episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark and Poltergeist as making an entire generation scared of clowns. You talk to anyone who hates clowns born after 1984, they'll usually cite one or three all three of those sources as the reason why. Curry's iconic performance aside (and a young Seth Green!), there are a lot of things wrong with the miniseries, chief among them being that the novel simply couldn't be done for broadcast tv in the 1990s.

While I've always thought that a four-part miniseries for HBO would be the best way to approach King's novel (and so did Richard Kelly, who was the last guy attached to a remake), I'm sticking to the parameters of the original article when considering a new adaptation. That means a present day setting, which does lose the 50s/80s milieu of the novel (and It is as much about the 80s as Watchmen is), and a feature film. Also, there are spoilers ahead. Obviously.

The Story: With the novel, there's a lot of stuff you can cut out, particularly in the last act. The book takes some very weird twists and turns, and the climax is literally that. The young kids, after scaring the monster, all lose their virginity together in order to get the strength to come back from the cave underneath their town. Yeah. So that's probably not going to be in the movie.

At the core of the book is a very good psychological horror story about trauma, and the aftermath of it. All of the kids, save Richie (the bespectacled smart-ass played by Seth Green in the tv movie) have some kind of trauma in their life before they see the monster. Bill Denborough, the protagonist, is a stutterer with a murdered younger brother (by Pennywise). Beverly Marsh has an abusive father, while asthmatic Eddie Kaspbrack has an overprotective mother. Stan Marsh, Mike Hanlon, and Ben Hanscom are Jewish, black, and fat, respectively, in a small town. (Derry, Maine)

So there's a lot to play with in the first act of the movie, especially if you're flashing forward to the present as the adults return to Derry, but unable to remember the events of that summer. Did they make all this up? It appears to them as a different thing, so they could easily be pretending or creating a villain they can beat, something they can kill so they don't have to deal with their shit. Are they just suffering from trauma and post-traumatic stress? Is the Loser's Club (their nickname for the group) right about Pennywise or are they just all crazy?

One of the things I like about Donnie Darko is Kelly's ability to make us wonder the same things about Donnie, which I think would work just as well here. Sad times that he's not on it. Even Richie, the most “normal” of the group, has his own trauma – he's a compulsive smart-ass. Were I making this, I'd play down that aspect and make Richie more normal, so that when Richie sees the monster, we start to think “Yeah, maybe they are right.” Then when Pennywise appears to them collectively in the creepy-as-fuck picture book scene, that's the turning point when we believe the kids. You inter-cut that with some group realization in the present (because, like Watchmen, this movie needs to be non-linear if you're going to get it right in 3 hours or less) it'd be a pretty powerful moment.

Once we start seeing It as a real monster, the movie would become more problematic, and would probably have to diverge significantly from the book. I don't have any other solutions to that, but I really think it's important you emphasize It's final form as the Lovecraftian beastie that it is in the book (the thing isn't a clown or a giant spider, but something so horrifying that to look at its true form would drive one completely mad, i.e., 'the deadlights.' The giant spider is the most primal form that the monster can appear as without driving its victims entirely mad.)

One part that seems essential from the book is the history of Derry and Mike Hanlon's investigation into that, either in a credits sequence or throughout the movie, because the idea that this monster has literally poisoned this entire town into doing some horrible things (like burning a barracks full of black soldiers alive) kicks fucking ass. It's more thematically rich than that – I like how it takes the “darkness behind suburbia” to an extreme without going to the extremes King would later go in Needful Things. The idea of Derry being destroyed via flood as the adults finally kill the monster also adds to that, and would be a suitably epic climax for the film. (I'd also take a scene from the novel Dreamcatcher and end the film with a shot of a memorial donated by the Loser's Club...with the words 'Pennywise Lives' spray painted across it in red.)

I'm excited for this adaptation. While I love the original novel, I do think this has a chance to be one of those adaptations that improves and enhances the source material. It's not a capital G Great Novel, but I do think it's a fantastic piece of pop literature, and the film could be just as fantastic in the right hands.

If they get the story right, then it's all about finding the right cast and director. I'll have a few thoughts on that later tonight, but if you have any suggestions, comment away. Seacrest out.
See full post

To Blu-Ray or not to Blu-Ray? [Halp!]

I've reached a dilemma.

About 10 movies have come out in the past 3 weeks alone that I want to buy to add to my collection. A collection I'm rather proud of, by the way. But here's the thing. 10 DVDs...that's a lot of money to spend...and david brought up a good point - why spend money on DVDs when Blu-Ray is the future and I'll eventually have to re-buy them all anyway? But Blu-Rays are so damn expensive, I didn't want to change over yet. Then I have to spend extra for every single movie I want!

So here's the question.

Do I stop buying DVDs? Do I cease to buy any movies until I have a Blu-Ray player? Or do I stave off switching to Blu-Ray for as long as I possibly can? After all, if I ever get a console of my very own (both david, the roommate, and my dad have a PS3, Wii and Xbox360, but I only have a lowly PS2) I would want it to be an Xbox360, not a PS3.

So what do I do? I needs some advice! Blu-Ray now/soon or avoid for as long as possible? HALP! See full post

Three Watchmens & A Lost [Videos of the Moment]

Came across four odd videos today while making the usual rounds of the 35 million blogs I read. Today's selection includes a Watchmen trailer with Legos, a friend of All Things Fangirl playing a geek (or nerd as they call it in the video) taking a tour of Malin Ackerman's apartment, a bizarre Watchmen rap from the 80s performed by Luke Cage and Iron Fist, and the most hilariously pointless Lost sneak preview ever. Enjoy! This should kill a good 10 minutes. :)


Lego Watchmen

Watchmen Tour with Malin Akerman from Malin Akerman

Tour of Malin Ackerman's Apartment


Watchmen Rap...supposedly pulled from a 1985 VHS, haha. Click on the video to read the lyrics.


The most pointless Lost sneak peak ever - for next weeks "Namaste" See full post

Proof that Lost's Ben is A Good Guy! Or a Cylon. [Silly Fun]

Holy crap! This is too weird.

This link came courtesy of valenzetti on Twitter, who, if you love Lost, is a great person to follow.

Nicolle C. Jones came across a photo of Union Army General Joseph Hooker and was shocked to discover...he looks exactly like Mr. Benjamin Linus.


EEEEE! So Ben fought for the right side of the war, did he! And does this mean he is a cylon? When Lost and Battlestar and American History collide! AHHHH. See full post

After Watchmen...What's Next? [ATTN Comic Noobs!]

When I bought all my new comics yesterday at Golden Apple, inside the bag I found this handy dandy "After Watchmen, What's Next?" booklet. Inside is a list of "Award-winning titles for new fans just discovering graphic novels and established readers looking to try something new" and holy effer, is this list right on. Granted, it's only DC, including Vertigo, so Marvel fans look elsewhere, but wow.

The ones on the list that I've read and agree you all should read right now:
Batman: The Killing Joke
Fables Vol 1: Legends in Exile
League of Extraordinary Gentleman Vol 1
Preacher Vol 1: Gone to Texas
Y: The Last Man Vol 1: Unmanned

The ones on the list that I own and are currently waiting for me to read them:
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Ex Machina Vol 1: The First Hundred Days
Kingdom Come
V For Vendetta

The ones on the list that I've heard of and want to read, but don't own:
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Joker
Transmetropolitan
Planetary Book 1: All Over the World & Other Stories
Saga of the Swamp Thing
Sandman Vol 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
Superman: Red Son

The ones on the list that I haven't heard, but hell, I'll read!
All-Star Superman Vol 1
Identity Crisis
Ronin
We3

Pretty cool, no? Last week, one of the fine folks from Film School Rejects wondered what graphic novel would take the place of Watchmen as the greatest of all time should Watchmen lose the title due to overexposure/the movie. I personally don't think anything should/will take Watchmen's title, but this list is a great place to start. Also on my list for you to read is Powers and for me to read is Walking Dead, Invisibles, The Long Halloween, 100 Bullets...the list goes on

There is also a website that divides everything up into 5 categories:
-Books that redefine modern superheroes
-More books by Alan Moore
-Books that push the boundaries of Science Fiction
-Best-selling books from best-selling authors
-Books for mature readers

Thanks for doing this, DC! I actually think it's really cool. Enter new wave of comic book fans! I hope! See full post

American Idol Thoughts - Top 13

Wow, this new Idol process actually kind of kicked ass. Cause...that was a pretty damn good show. Really everything kinds of pales in comparison to one particular singer, but still, good work, overall.

My Thoughts

My favorites were Adam, Matt, Danny, Allison & Alexis.

Not my favorites, but want them to/think they should stick around for one reason or another: Lil, Kris, Anoop, Megan

My least favorites were Jorge, Jasmine, Michael, Scott

Dial Idol

The Best: Danny, Adam, & Lil
Safes: Alexis, Anoop, Scott, Matt, & Michael
Ones in trouble: Megan, Kris, Jasmine, Allison & Jorge.

If Allison goes home, I will FREAK out. Didn't get to watch Idol until midnight, so no voting tonight :(. Eeek don't send Allison home cause I went and saw Mystery Team instead of voting for Idol!

More specific thoughts after the jump


Lil - A bit too predictable and boring for me. But she did a good job.

Scott - Definitely the weakest vocally, but I did like this performance

Danny - Robert Downey vibe mmmmm. Great vocals. I'm into it.

Michael - Sounded fine, but eh, not American Idol material

Jasmine - Boring, just not good or interesting enough. Spot should have gone to Kristin.

Kris - Glad he brought out the guitar, but disappointed he didn't use it to rearrange a song. He was just of playing the guitar to be playing the guitar...nothing special. But gosh he's cute and he sounded pretty good except for that one crack.

Allison - Hell yeah. Love this girl. She's like two people in one! Seriously. How is the Allison singing and the Allison speaking the same person? Love it when super awkward people are amazingly talented. I hope DialIdol is wrong.

Anoop - Poor Anoop. Wow. Disaster. But I hope he sticks around and can improve next week. Wow.

Jorge - Cruise ship crap. Oh god, this is painful. Send him home.

Megan - Utterly bizarre and awkward, but she's so gorgeous and unique, I don't mind. Just figure it out, lady. Pick a better song next week. What a trippy effing performance.

Adam - Killed it. League of his own. Made me cry! I agreed with Paula 2000 percent. His story is one I can totally relate to, so I get it and I get what a huge deal this is for him. I'm a fan.

Matt - I love him! Don't love this genre of music at all. Soft Jazz? Is that what it is? I don't want him to be Robin or Justin Timberlake, I want him to be bluesy soul guy!

Alexis - Badass. Yes, not as good as she thought it was, but I'm a fan. I feel like she and Adam need to do a scene from Rent or something.
See full post

Did the Music in Watchmen Bother You? Watch This!

I personally was a fan of the music choices in Watchmen, but if you weren't, check out ThinkHero's Post-Watchmen Parody Show. They get all the good ones in, especially at the end, so make sure to watch all the way through! Or if you are super impatient, after the Sound of Silence bit, skip ahead to Roth & Jonny watching in a parking lot. But these guys are actually quite hilarious, so I encourage watching the whole thing. "And there's a 200% chance Roth will still be drunk." Haha, these guys make me laugh. Anyway. Enjoy!

See full post

How To Deal With No Lost Tonight

There is no Lost tonight. This saddens me.

Luckily, Jeff Jensen over at EW has some ideas for what to do during the time Lost is normally on

1. Read Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.
2. See Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder.
3. Watch Dexter on DVD.
4. Listen to the new U2 album No Line On The Horizon.
5. Catch up on back episodes of Totally Lost. (New episodes resume next week!)
6. Create some art of your own.
7. Spend time with your significant other and/or family...but only if you really have nothing else to do.
8. Do good deeds for your fellow man. Or pray, but again, only after you've exhausted the aforementioned, more important possibilities.

I'd add to that list the following:

9. Read the first 4 books of Fables (once you pop, you just can't stop)
10. Watch Spaced on DVD
11. Listen to the new Neko Case CD
12. Watch my favorite web-series, Dorm-Life
13. Cry

Theories and Al Trautwig after the jump

He also informs us that next week's episode is called "Namaste" (Will the Losties meet Marvin Candle? Does that timeline match up?) and graces us with this Bernard & Rose theory I've been hearing a lot over the past couple years in some form or another,

They were flashing through time along with the Sawyer group of castaways, albeit in a different part of the Island. When the time travel ordeal stopped after Locke turned the frozen donkey wheel, Bernard and Rose landed in the 1970s — and were captured by Richard Alpert's ''Others.'' Or they died from the time travel sickness, and they became...the Adam and Eve skeletons. (I've never been made sadder by the prospect of an accurate theory. RIP Bernard and Rose — theoretically speaking.)

Here's something really creepy to get your juices flowing regarding the ordering of the purge.

Did you hear how Ben responded to Hurley's question [Asking whose decision it was to order the purge]? He said, ''Their leader's.'' At least, that's what I thought I heard at the time the episode aired. But rewatching the clips last week, I heard something very different. What if that apostrophe is actually in the wrong place? In other words, I am proposing that the line was actually this:

''Their leaders'.''

What if the Others had multiple leaders at the time of the Purge? Given the presence of the castaways in the Island past, could we be headed toward some big, dark twist that the leaders of the Others during the time of The Purge were... the castaways themselves?!?

Dun dun DUNNNNN!

Doc Jensen also has a bunch of fun theories surrounding when and why babies stopped being able to be born on the island, which you can find here, along with the rest of his Lost feature this week.

Onto a new theory I've heard that I quite enjoy...remember how in season 1 we learn that Danielle's crew was drawn to the island because of the frequency they heard? Then when young Danielle meets Jin, we hear this frequency? Of the numbers? Well if you listen closely, it sure does sound like Hurley's voice reading them...and now that Hurley is in the 70s, it would definitely work out, time-wise. Thoughts?

Also to keep you going, Al Trautwig's Lost vlog for "LaFleur"



Anyone have any theories from the past couple episodes they want to share?
See full post

Worst (and most hilarious) Watchmen Review Ever [Woah]

Stumbled upon a review of Watchmen today in Valley Scene Magazine, a free throwaway distributed in LA's San Fernando Valley area. Don't know how this magazine (I use the term loosely) ended up on my dining room table, but wow am I glad it did.

When I say this is the worst Watchmen review yet, I don't only mean wow, this paper hated the movie, I mean, wow this reviewer is an idiot. This is the first review I've seen from someone who knows not. A. Thing. About. Watchmen. He knows it was a graphic novel...but...that's about it. What results is one of the most idiotic reviews I've ever read, so much so that it warrants coverage. david, even you will appreciate this.

Read on, after the jump


The reviewer's problems with the movie are the most bizarre yet, clearly missing every bit of understanding one could have. He is actually offended by the film's "misogyny". and "racism". Yeah.

Here are some highlights, the especially idiotic parts bolded,

Worse is a scene where he walks in on the dressing room of superhero hottie Silk Spectre, who is built to look like a 50's dream pin-up. Nobody should dress that sexy unless they're asking for it, the Comedian bellows. The Comedian begins to rape Silk Spectre and when she resists he smashes her face into submission. Fellow superhero Dr. Manhattan (or was it Mathew Goode as Ozymandias?) rushes in to break up the altercation. Why do all these heroes in the returned present lament the death of the Comedian? They should be glad he's dead.

...okay...so even though this was clearly a flashback to before Dr. Manhattan was even Dr. Manhattan and Ozymandias was a superhero...and the guy who walked into the room was Hooded Justice...with a German accent...somehow this guy writes that paragraph? I I I...was he even paying attention? What?!

On the misogyny and racism,

Other abuses to women are on display in this overblown headache of a movie. In one occasion, director Zack Snyder ("300") opts for slow-mo shots of bullets eviscerating the flesh of a woman's leg (she's not introduced as anyone important). There's a name for this kind of disrespect for women in film. It's called misogyny. Yet the film is just as racist as it is sexist as demonstrated in a scene where Dr. Manhattan (a mammoth-size blue-man superhero) blows away a bunch of blank-looking Viet Cong who are made out as dehumanized items in a shooting gallery.

Ummm. That's kind of the POINT. DR. MANHATTAN DOESN'T SEE HUMANITY THE SAME WAY NOW, I I I I can't. But thanks for teaching us what misogyny is. I didn't know. ...

On their lack of powers,

Nothing about the superheroes is remarkable other than Dr. Manhattan's (Whatchamacallit?) ray-blast ability. All these characters do is pound each other with their exceptional strength. In terms of superpunch-force ability, masked Rorschach is the only character who dazzles with his quicksilver moves.

Let's be clear here. These character's aren't ACTUALLY superheros. Only Dr. Manhattan is. Perhaps that's why he is the only one with a real power? Maybe? Just maybe?

On Snyder's direction,

His other gimmick is to pan the camera to display a seemingly pointless object only to reveal blood dripping from that object, or perhaps photograph a door crack to reveal blood spilling out. Playing it all for gross laughs.

Excuse me??? Gross laughs?? The blood pouring out from under the door is CLASSIC. It's not played for gross laughs, you idiot, it's one of the more iconic frames of the graphic novel!

Adapted from the graphic novel by Dave Gibbons originally released by DC Comics in 1986 (which might explain the story setting's retro year), it's not impossible to see that it is trying to create a paradigm of flawed and maladjusted superheroes in a world that seems to be dreamed up from the subconscious fusion of Edward Hopper meets Dante Alighieri.

It *might* explain the film taking place in the 80s?! It's *not impossible to see* it's creating a world of maladjusted superheroes?! WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ROCK HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING UNDER?!

Look, as time goes by, I've become uber tolerant of people not liking Watchmen or even not getting certain parts, but everyone I know who hasn't read the damn thing still know more than this guy. I'm fine with people having problems with this movie, but but...to miss the mark so completely...well, at the end of the day, it's just pretty hilarious.

In fact, is it possible that this review is a joke?

Evisceration over. Click here for the complete review.

See full post

Sexiest Lex Luthor Ever

Jon Hamm can do no wrong. Even when playing Lex Luthor and spouting off about killing Superman. Still, he is perfect. Siiiigh.

I'm sure you've all seen this by now, but just in case you haven't, here is Jon Hamm as Lex Luthor, asking Obama for some bail out money. <3

"Lex Luthor Bailout" with Jon Hamm - watch more funny videos

[Source] See full post

For david [Silly Fun or EPIC AWESOMENESS]

Just for you, david! And maybe me a little bit. But only maybe. Cause Craig's back! Oh crap, I've revealed my love for Degrassi. Oh god, I just reaffirmed it! Okay, but you know what, I stopped watching two seasons ago cause they got rid of the old people and now only feature n00bs. Spelled exactly like that.

No hating on Canadian soap operas wise coming of age stories allowed in this forum.



Doesn't Kevin Smith loving Degrassi get me a pass? No? Damnit. See full post

American Idol Thoughts - Top 13

Wow, this new Idol process actually kind of kicked ass. Cause...that was a pretty damn good show. Really everything kinds of pales in comparison to one particular singer, but still, good work, overall.

My Thoughts

My favorites were Adam, Matt, Danny, Allison & Alexis.

Not my favorites, but want them to/think they should stick around for one reason or another: Lil, Kris, Anoop, Megan

My least favorites were Jorge, Jasmine, Michael, Scott

Dial Idol

The Best: Danny, Adam, & Lil
Safes: Alexis, Anoop, Scott, Matt, & Michael
Ones in trouble: Megan, Kris, Jasmine, Allison & Jorge.

If Allison goes home, I will FREAK out. Didn't get to watch Idol until midnight, so no voting tonight :(. Eeek don't send Allison home cause I went and saw Mystery Team instead of voting for Idol!

More specific thoughts:

Lil - A bit too predictable and boring for me. But she did a good job.

Scott - Definitely the weakest vocally, but I did like this performance

Danny - Robert Downey vibe mmmmm. Great vocals. I'm into it.

Michael - Sounded fine, but eh, not American Idol material

Jasmine - Boring, just not good or interesting enough. Spot should have gone to Kristin.

Kris - Glad he brought out the guitar, but disappointed he didn't use it to rearrange a song. He was just of playing the guitar to be playing the guitar...nothing special. But gosh he's cute and he sounded pretty good except for that one crack.

Allison - Hell yeah. Love this girl. She's like two people in one! Seriously. How is the Allison singing and the Allison speaking the same person? Love it when super awkward people are amazingly talented. I hope DialIdol is wrong.

Anoop - Poor Anoop. Wow. Disaster. But I hope he sticks around and can improve next week. Wow.

Jorge - Cruise ship crap. Oh god, this is painful. Send him home.

Megan - Utterly bizarre and awkward, but she's so gorgeous and unique, I don't mind. Just figure it out, lady. Pick a better song next week. What a trippy effing performance.

Adam - Killed it. League of his own. Made me cry! I agreed with Paula 2000 percent. His story is one I can totally relate to, so I get it and I get what a huge deal this is for him. I'm a fan.

Matt - I love him! Don't love this genre of music at all. Soft Jazz? Is that what it is? I don't want him to be Robin or Justin Timberlake, I want him to be bluesy soul guy!

Alexis - Badass. Yes, not as good as she thought it was, but I'm a fan. I feel like she and Adam need to do a scene from Rent or something. See full post

American Idol Predictions [Quickish Thought]

Totally random, but knowing its Michael Jackson night, here's who I think will shine and who I think will suck.

Danny Gokey - Will probably sing some cheesy song and kick ass. They may love it, but they may tell him he needs to try something new. I'll Be There would be a better choice for him than You Are Not Alone. Don't know what non-shmaltzy Danny would be like...Don't get me wrong, I love Danny. He has a weird Robert Downey Jr. vibe.

Alexis Grace - Will hopefully put a bluesy spin on something, staying classy...actually I'll Be There would be nice for her too...uh oh I think I only like one song. Who is gonna get it?!

Michael Sarver - Go home please. Unless you randomly kick ass totally out of the blue tonight. But I doubt it. This spot should belong to Ricky or Juno

Adam Lambert - Will do something crazy with some crazy song. Judges may be split, but he'll be safe and entertaining as hell

Kris Allen - Hopefully will use his guitar and surprise us with some very cool new take on a classic song. If not, I don't suspect he'll be getting much love.

Alison Iraheta - Gotta sing something that shows off that epic voice of hers. Go for big, sing the shit out of it

Scott MacIntyre - Again, gotta do something innovative here, most likely with the piano. Could be very cool. No piano? Then he may be going home.

Jasmine Murray - Jeez, I don't know. I'm not into Jasmine. This slot should have gone to Kristin McNamara. I suspect suckage and forgetability.

Matt Giraud - Soul soul soul. Kick ass, Matt. I heart you. Hoping he will be at the top of this one. Please!

Megan Corkrey - No clue. She's gotta do something interesting or her schtik is gonna get real old, real fast. Huge potential for crashing and burning

Lil Rounds - Will probably kick ass, but risks doing the same thing as usual and being kind of boring

Jorge Nuñez - DEFINITE suckage potential here. Gotta bring it. We'll see.

Anoop Desai - I think he'll do pretty well tonight as long as he picks the right song. I don't know MJ enough to be able to say what song that would be, but I'm sure he'll be safe

Top three: Matt, Adam, possibly Danny or Alison or someone who will do something completely unexpected & innovative...maybe Megan? Kris?

Safe, but won't be best or worst: Anoop, Lil Rounds, Alexis

Bottom three: Jasmine, Michael Sarver, possibly Megan, Jorge, Kris or Scott if they don't mix it up

Those are my predictions! Can't wait to see how horribly off I am!!! WOOT!

By the way, here are EW's recommendations for what songs the top 13 should sing tonight:
Allison Iraheta: "Scream" (Am I the only one who loves this song?) (Yes.)
Adam Lambert: "State of Shock"
Jasmine Murray: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You"
Kris Allen: "The Way You Make Me Feel"
Matt Giraud: "I Want You Back"
Alexis Grace: "It's Your Thing"
Lil Rounds: "Human Nature"
Scott MacIntyre: "Butterflies"
Anoop Desai: "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"
Megan Corkrey: "Off the Wall" (dance, girl, dance!)
Michael Sarver: "Another Part of Me"
Jorge Nuñez: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (could be a-mah-zing or could be disastrous, I know)
Danny Gokey: "Say Say Say" See full post

Saturn Award Nominations Announced!

Guess where I'm gonna be June 25th?

One of my favorite events of every year, the Saturn Awards, has announced this years nominees! Some I agree with (and know will win...I'm looking at you, Dark Knight) and some - not so much (Yes, Day the Earth Stood Still, that means you) but it's always a fun night and this year should be no exception. Complete list of the nominees and my personal favorites after the jump!


My favorites to win in italics :)

Best Science Fiction Film

The Day the Earth Stood Still (20th Century Fox)
Eagle Eye (Paramount/DreamWorks)
The Incredible Hulk (Universal/Marvel)
Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Paramount/Lucasfilm)
Iron Man (Paramount/Marvel)
Jumper (20th Century Fox)

Best Fantasy Film

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Walt Disney Studios)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Paramount)
Hancock (Sony)
The Spiderwick Chronicles (Paramount)
Twilight (Summit Entertainment)
Wanted (Universal)
Best Horror Film

The Happening (20th Century Fox)
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Universal)
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Universal)
Quarantine (Sony)
Splinter (Magnolia/Magnet)
The Strangers (Rogue/Universal)

Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film

Changeling (Universal)
The Dark Knight (Warner Bros.)
Gran Torino (Warner Bros.)
Quantum of Solace (Sony)
Traitor (Overture)
Valkyrie (MGM/UA)

Best Actor

Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, Warner Bros.)
Tom Cruise (Valkyrie, MGM/UA)
Robert Downey, Jr. (Iron Man, Paramount/Marvel)
Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones & Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Paramount/Lucasfilm)
Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Paramount)
Will Smith (Hancock, Sony)

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Paramount)
Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Dark Knight, Warner Bros.)
Angelina Jolie (Changeling, Universal)
Julianne Moore (Blindness, Miramax)
Emily Mortimer (Transsiberian, First Look Studios)
Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man, Paramount/Marvel)
Best Supporting Actor

Jeff Bridges (Iron Man, Paramount/Marvel)
Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight, Warner Bros.)
Woody Harrelson (Transsiberian, First Look Studios)
Shia LaBeouf (Indiana Jones & Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Paramount/Lucasfilm)
Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight, Warner Bros.)
Bill Nighy (Valkyrie, MGM/UA)

Best Supporting Actress

Joan Allen (Death Race, Universal)
Judi Dench (Quantum of Solace, Sony)
Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace, Sony)
Tilda Swinton (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Paramount)
Charlize Theron (Hancock, Sony)
Carice Van Houten (Valkyrie, MGM/UA)

Best Performance by a Younger Actor

Freddie Highmore (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Paramount)
Lina Leandersson (Let the Right One In, Magnolia/Magnet)
Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire, Fox Searchlight)
Jaden Christopher Smith (The Day the Earth Stood Still, 20th Century Fox)
Catinca Untaru (The Fall, Roadside Attractions)
Brandon Walters (Australia, 20th Century Fox)

Best Director

Clint Eastwood (Changeling, Universal)
Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Paramount/Marvel)
David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Paramount)
Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Warner Bros.)
Bryan Singer (Valkyrie, MGM/UA)
Steven Spielberg (Indiana Jones & Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Paramount/Lucasfilm)
Andrew Stanton (Wall-E, Walt Disney Studios)

Best Writing

Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway (Iron Man, Paramount/Marvel)
David Koepp, John Kamps (Ghost Town, Paramount/DreamWorks)
John Ajvide Lindqvist (Let the Right One In, Magnolia/Magnet)
Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Warner Bros.)
Eric Roth (Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Paramount)
J. Michael Straczynski (Changeling, Universal)

Best Music

Alexandre Desplat (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Paramount)
Clint Eastwood (Changeling, Universal)
James Newton Howard (The Dark Knight, Warner Bros.)
John Ottman (Valkyrie, MGM/UA)
John Powell (Jumper, 20th Century Fox)
Hans Zimmer (Iron Man, Paramount/Marvel)

Best Costume

Lindy Hemming (The Dark Knight, Warner Bros.)? I don't have a pick here. But TDK needs lovin.
Deborah Hooper (Changeling, Universal)
Joanna Johnston (Valkyrie, MGM/UA)
Catherine Martin (Australia, 20th Century Fox)
Isis Mussenden (The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Walt Disney Studios)
Mary Zophres (Indiana Jones & Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Paramount/Lucasfilm)

Best Make-Up

John Caglione, Jr., Conor O'Sullian (The Dark Knight, Warner Bros.)
Greg Cannom (Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Paramount)
Mike Elizalde (Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Universal) - Cause the makeup was amazing and it didn't get the Oscar
Paul Hyett (Doomsday, Universal)
Gregory Nicotero, Paul Engelen (Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Walt Disney Studios)
Gerald Quist (Tropic Thunder, Paramount/DreamWorks)
Best Special Effects

Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton, Craig Barron (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Paramount)
Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber, Paul Franklin (The Dark Knight, Warner Bros.)
Pablo Helman, Dan Sudick (Indiana Jones & Kingdom of Crystal Skull, Paramount/Lucasfilm)
John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick, Shane Mahan (Iron Man, Paramount/Marvel)
Michael J. Wassel, Adrian De Wet, Andrew Chapman, Eamonn Butler (Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Universal)
Dean Wright, Wendy Rogers (Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Walt Disney Studios)

Best International Film

The Bank Job (Lionsgate)
Forbidden Kingdom (Lionsgate)
In Bruges (Focus)
Let the Right One In (Magnolia/Magnet)
Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight)
Transsiberian (First Looks Studios)

Best Animated Film

Bolt (Walt Disney Studios)
Horton Hears a Who (20th Century Fox)
Kung Fu Panda (Paramount/DreamWorks)
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (Paramount/DreamWorks)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Warner Bros./Lucasfilm)
Wall-E (Walt Disney Studios)

Best Network Television Series

Fringe (Fox)
Heroes (NBC)
Life On Mars (ABC)
Lost (ABC)
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox)
Supernatural (CW)

Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series

Battlestar Galactica (SCI FI)
The Closer (TNT)
Dexter (Showtime)
Leverage (TNT)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Cartoon Network)
True Blood (HBO)

Best Presentation on Television

24: Redemption (Fox)
The Andromeda Strain (A&E)
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Jericho (CBS)
The Last Templar (NBC)
The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice (TNT)

Best Actor in Television

Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, AMC)
Matthew Fox (Lost, ABC)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter, Showtime)
Timothy Hutton (Leverage, TNT)
Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica, SCI FI)
Noah Wiley (The Librarian: The Curse of The Judas Chalice, TNT)

Best Actress in Television

Lena Headey (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Fox)
Jennifer Love Hewitt (The Ghost Whisperer, CBS)
Evangeline Lilly (Lost, ABC)
Mary McDonnell (Battlestar Galactica, SCI FI)
Anna Paquin (True Blood, HBO)
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer, TNT)
Anna Torv (Fringe, ABC)

Best Supporting Actor in Television
Henry Ian Cusick (Lost, ABC)
Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Fox)
Michael Emerson (Lost, ABC)
Josh Holloway (Lost, ABC)
Adrian Pasdar (Heroes, NBC)
Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes, NBC)
Best Supporting Actress in Television

Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter, Showtime)
Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Fox)
Yunjin Kim (Lost, ABC)
Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost, ABC)
Hayden Panettiere (Heroes, NBC)
Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, SCI FI)

Best Guest Starring Role in a Television Series

Kristen Bell (Heroes, NBC) Cause she should just win everything
Alan Dale (Lost, ABC)
Kevin Durand (Lost, ABC)
Robert Forster (Heroes, NBC)
Jimmy Smits (Dexter, Showtime)
Sonya Walger (Lost, ABC)

Best DVD Release

Cold Prey (Anchor Bay)
The Deaths of Ian Stone (Lionsgate)
Jack Brooks Monster Slayer (Anchor Bay)
Resident Evil: Degeneration (Sony)
Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (Sony) No reasoning behind this other than I love the original Starship Troopers
Stuck (Image)
Best DVD Special Edition Release

Brotherhood of the Wolf (Director's Cut, Universal)
Dark City (The Director's Cut, New Line/Warner)
The Dark Knight (Two-Disc Special Edition, Warner)?
L.A. Confidential (Two-Disc Special Edition, Warner)
Stephen King's The Mist (Two-Disc Collector's Edition, Genius)
Zodiac: The Director's Cut (Paramount)

Best DVD Classic Film Release

Casablanca (Ultimate Collector's Edition, Warner)
Heathers (20th High School Reunion Edition, Anchor Bay)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (Walt Disney)
The Picture of Dorian Gray (Warner)
Psycho (Universal Legacy Series, Universal)
Sleeping Beauty (Walt Disney)

Best DVD Collection

Abbott & Costello (Complete Universal Series Collection, Universal)
Dirty Harry (Ultimate Collector's Edition, Warner)
Ghost House Underground Eight Film Collection (Lionsgate)
The Godfather (The Coppola Restoration, Paramount)
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (20th Anniversary Edition, Shout Factory)
Planet of the Apes 40th Anniversary Collection (Blu Ray, Fox)

Best Television Series Release on DVD

Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series (BBC Warner)
Heroes: Season 2 (Universal)
Lost: The Complete Fourth Season (Walt Disney)
Moonlight: The Complete Series (Warner)
Reaper: Season One (Lionsgate)
Torchwood: Season 2 (BBC Warner)
The Tudors: The Complete Second Season (Paramount/Showtime)

Best Retro Television Series Release on DVD

Columbo: Mystery Movie Collection 1990 (Universal)
Early Edition: Season One (Paramount)
The Incredible Hulk: The Complete Series (Universal)
The Invaders: The First & Second Seasons (Paramount)
Mission Impossible: The Fourth & Fifth Seasons (Paramount)
Spaced: The Complete Series (BBC Warner) This is considered retro?
See full post

Photo of Tony Stark's House Under Construction [Quick Pic]

Courtesy of Jon Favreau, via Twitter. I'll live there! See full post

Which Comics Should I Give Up? [Call for HALP!]

Due to the insanity of busy life and the fact that I can't bring myself to buy comics anywhere other than Midtown Comics (you get 20 bucks off for every 100 bucks you spend! That's a 20% discount!) because I super have no moneys, Ive becoming increasingly behind on my comics. Like...bad news bears, guys. And I've come to the realization that I may need to give up a few titles. So I'm looking to you all for advice, assuming you are probably not as behind as I am and know which titles are worth keeping with.

So here I present the titles I read as of a couple months ago. Please tell me which ones to stick with and which ones to drop!

First up, the ones I'm sticking with no matter what, to give you an idea of what I like



Buffy - I'm sticking with this one no matter what, but I'm two issues behind! SACRILEGE!

X-Factor - I'm, dear lord, 3-4 issues behind now. I don't even know the thing that happens that's all big and crazy! I got shit for this from not only EruditeChick, but from PETER DAVID HIMSELF.

Fables/Jack of Fables/Scott Pilgrim/Powers/Preacher - All of these I read in book form, not comic form, and will not be abandoning them anytime soon. I'm on book 4 of Scott Pilgrim, book 4 of Powers, book 6 of Preacher (which is over now, right?) and am waiting for book 12 of Fables to grace me with its brilliant presence

Invincible Iron Man - I'm I like 4 or 5 issues behind - I've only read the first arc - but I liked it, it's the only Iron Man title I read, I enjoy Matt Fraction, so, I'm sticking with it

Runaways - In the hopes that Brian or Joss return

The titles I'm on the fence about, after the jump!!!



The X-Men Titles



Now these are all crossovery, so much so that now I'm totally confused and have no idea how far behind I am. Do I stick with any of these?

X-Force
Astonishing X-Men
Cable
X-Men: Legacy
Uncanny X-Men
Young X-Men
Wolverine: Origins

and all those like, X-Men: Worlds Apart, X-Men: A bunch of vignettes, X-Men: Crazy shit is happening! Is Cable even in this universe anymore? What universe is Astonishing X-Men in? Will Joss ever return? Are any of them in the same universe anymore? Should I bother continuing to read any of these? What crossover are we on now? Which ones have the Prop X thing happening, cause I'll read that. Halp!

Dark Reign Crossover



Now, I read all of Secret Invasion. ALL of Secret Invasion. Every damn crossover that EXISTED, I read. I was happy to say goodbye to Captain Britain, Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, New Warriors or whatever and more, but didn't wanna stop reading the storyline completely. So I picked up like, Dark Avengers and a couple Dark Reign crossover stories, sticking with Mighty Avengers & New Avengers, but now I'm so behind and haven't even read them yet, so I ask you - is it worth it to get into the whole damn thing? Someone who is reading these - is it worth it? Thunderbolts, War Machine, etc - should I pick them up?

Random



She-Hulk
It's Peter David and I love Peter David! I'm 3-4 issues behind. Started reading it when it crossed over with X-Factor and quite liked it, but would I like it sans X-Factor?

Ms. Marvel
Started reading during Secret Invasion and liked, so thought I'd continue. Again, a few issues behind and not sure it's worth it.

Deadpool
Again, many issues behind, but loved what I've read. Should I continue? Oh god, it's apparently tied into Dark Reign also. What's happening?!!?!

Punisher: War Zone mini series by Ennis & Dillon
I love Preacher, so I picked up #1 of this Punisher title, never read it, and now I have #1, #3 and #4, I think. Is this title worth it to seek out the missing #2, #5 and #6? I imagine it must be awesome, but, I need advice.

I was also loving X-Men Noir & X-Men/Spiderman and was looking forward to seeking out Spiderman Noir, but they came out so long ago, who knows what the hell is going on now.

Any titles I need to add here? Anything that will excite me as much as Fables does?

See full post