If you’re in a hurry just go down to the link and watch this amazing video to a song by a group called Muse.
But if you’ve got a moment… well,
Something weird is going on.
Weather.com – On the Spot
I just noticed that the Weather Channel web site has improved my local weather page. They added a pulldown menu called “On the Spot” that allows you to select conditions at nearby intersections, parks, schools, event venues, etc. Nice for those places that get much hotter, colder, or wetter than the rest of town. Man, I wish we had A/C.
Future of HBO
HBO has revealed it’s future TV plans. The bad news is that Rome will be gone after next season. It was an extremely well done show, which I guess made it a bit too expensive ($100M). But it looks like Curb Your Enthusiasm will be coming back, a show I thought was already dead after the last episode seemed so much like a series finale. Alan Ball, creator of 6 Feet Under and writer of American Beauty, is working on a vampire drama, which should be pretty interesting coming from that mind. And of course, only one more season of Sopranos (really, the second half of this one).
Judge Rules on Film Censorship
Variety reports a judge has decided that it’s not ok to edit films, removing things you find offensive, then sell the edited version. Well, duh. It is ok, however, to use technology to skip over or mute stuff you don’t want to see or hear. That seems fair to me, too.
Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest (Spoiler Free)
I think average opinion on this was, “Eh, it was ok.” That about sums it up. It is also one of the most anticipated films of the year, and it is selling out like crazy everywhere. I got there 45 minutes early and the line was already insane. I imagine some were there a couple hours early or more. Anyway, I thought the effects were good, especially on the sea men, but the story never really got you that involved. Some action scenes felt a bit repetitive and long, too. Of course, Keira Knightly was beautiful, but that’s gonna be the same in any movie she’s in. What I’m most curious about is the second week box office drop, and how it will fair against Superman in the long run. Normally I’d think this would go away quickly, but since everyone knows a third film is on the way, they’ll probably see it anyway.
Edit: Pirates OBLITERATED box office numbers, smashing records left and right. It’s the new #1 weekend, passing Spiderman by over $17M. This must have also beaten Aquaman by a wide margin, so Vinnie Chase has gotta be bummed.
Penny Arcade
Masterchief recently pointed me towards Penny Arcade, a gamer-oriented online comic strip. They’ve also started the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), an alternative to E3 for consumers (E3 are being dicks about letting in non-industry types). I was going to hit Seattle until air fares skyrocketed, which I am against. Anyway, the strip is pretty hilarious, here are some I liked:
My thoughts on pineapple pizza exactly
D&D online misadventures
She knows what you’ve been watching
I’m pretty sure Blizzard doesn’t need to do this, with their license to print crack
On the benefits of manga
Why I still feel self-righteous about quitting WOW
Fun at Fry’s?
An accurate portrayal of WOW’s patch distribution
What are friends for?
Superman Returns: Spoiler Free
Well, I liked it. I thought it was quite a spectacle. Of course, I am a comic book fan in general, and the character of Superman is just so hard not to like. Not everyone agrees with me, like Roger Ebert (2 stars). He makes some points about the characters being too subdued, more or less. I think if you come in without big expectations, you’ll like it. I plan on seeing it a second time in IMAX 3D, which has to be the biggest hit for IMAX ever. The one IMAX theatre in the Phillipines is booked solid until the end of this month! It will probably be in your local IMAX theatre for the next 2 months, at least.
That said, IMDB has some pretty amazing trivia about casting and direction. For those who don’t know, while the budget was $220M to film it, Warner Bros. spent $40M before filming to get it developed. Many different actors, directors, and writers were considered during this period, which lasted almost a decade. I’ve decided to grace you with my opinion on those in the running, and how the movie could have been vastly improved or run into the ground if they were involved.
Cool signs
I wish we all had this kind of an outlet for our opinions.
August 2013 = White history month!
Kitto Katsu
Here’s a fascinating little story about how Nestle made KitKat the candy king in Japan. As KitKat is my favorite movie candy (which has disappeared from most theatre chains, the bastards), I applaud their effort. Kitto Katsu!
FrontLine Assembly Tour
The North American tour is most likely cancelled.
When did I find this out you ask? When I showed up at “The Chamber” in NYC last night to see them.