Movie Review: Black Swan
Ballet is a monster. Or so suggests Darren Aronofsy by way of his latest film. Two years after resurrecting the career of Mickey Rourke and moving audiences (meaning me) to tears with The Wrestler (2008), the director has put his stamp on the year 2010 with Black Swan, a nightmarish exploration that reunites the filmmaker with the surrealism so distinctive in his previous works. This go around, he trades wrestling for ballet, and in place of... Read More
03.15.10 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW
1. LOCATION Las Vegas Disgusting, overly opulent, excessive and quite possibly the best damn two and half days in recent memory. Whether wondering from overdone hotel to insanely themed hotel, beverage always in hand, sunning ourselves at the pool, losing money on penny slots and video roulette (one experience at an actual table was too horrifying to continue down that path) or eating at the overpriced but amazing restaurants, this place is pure... Read More
Pogo: Source-driven Pop-Hypnotica
I’ve always been a fan of remix culture – anything from hip-hop sampling to officially-sanctioned club remixes and extended mixes of popular radio tunes to, most recently, mashups – as it displays a creativity and understanding of art that often surpasses the original work or works. If you think about it, just about all creative output is based on or derived from the work of others, which could lead to an extended discussion about... Read More
Top Ten Actors “As Themselves”
There’s a special place in Heaven* for actors who have the guts to play themselves. To look that deeply into your own navel and actually come out with something interesting and/or hilarious is a rare gift. Here’s my list of ten (or thirteen) souls have pulled it off in style. Read More Read More
Condescending Creature Smackdown: Ewoks vs. Na’vi
How much does James Cameron ride George Lucas’ dick? Only enough to base an entire movie, Avatar, on the final battle sequence from the last good film in the Star Wars franchise, Return of the Jedi. Each film has its ragtag band of native creatures, each film pits basic bush weaponry against mechanized slaughter machines, each film has exploding trees. But here’s the real question: who kicked more ass, the Na’vi or the Ewoks? SPOILER... Read More
New A-Team Movie Trailer Incoming
What if Mr. T weren’t B.A. Baracus? Who could Face be replaced by… and the whole team? A remake that is aiming to please. So far I’m not thoroughly impressed, but I will probably be first in line on premiere day. So there is that. Read More
The True Santa Story: a Spokesman Gets Diabetes
Watch the popten exclusive real video story of Santa Claus. To keep with the times and provide the nicest toys, Santa was forced earn money by promoting everything from Coke-Cola to M&M’s. His unlimited supply of soda and sweets made him fatter and fatter. When his doctor told him he has type two diabetes, Santa couldn’t stop with the sweets. Santa was a danger to himself. Will Christmas be saved? Watch this popten original... Read More
Gedda Headz have Spaced Out, and I love it.
I am officially completely obsessed with the Gedda Headz’ video Spaced Out. Upon visiting their website I realized they are more than a band, and actually an enclave of cool gamer people. They all have avatars that fit into some simplified 3d future. The band wears 3d masks in the video to keep their identities secret. Zoe from the band says, “So what..s up with the Gedda-Headz masks, you ask? It helps us being just symbols and act out... Read More
The Fansub Controversy
A fansub (short for fan-subtitled) is a version of a foreign film or TV program which has been translated by fans and subtitled into a language other than that of the original. As Tanya stated, fansubbing can be illegal according to copyright laws in various countries. Even so, it doesn’t stop people from doing it for as long as they can. Most cease fansubbing a series once it’s licensed for release in their language. Read More Read More
A Basic Explanation of Anime – This Isn’t Your Parents’ Animation
Written by Tanya Peacock Anime, or Japanese animation originated way back in 1917, but it’s only really caught on in the west within the last 20-30 years. The term itself is an abbreviated pronunciation in Japanese of “animation.” Anime, like its book form counterpart manga (Japanese Comics), has a large audience in Japan with an ever increasing audience in the United States. Both, hand drawn and computer animated anime exists. ... Read More