Category Archives: Entertainment

Discover new music: Die Antwoord

Music, Video, ,

It’s time for another installment of “discover new music.”  Meet the South African group named Die Antwoord.  They are strange, for lack of a better word, but they are goodstrange.  Their music is very ecclectic, and well, different.  It can be described as rap electronica, I guess.  The Die Antwoord “crew” is: “Zef rap-rave master” Ninja; “fre$h, futurisik rich bitch” Yo-landi Vi$$er; and “beat-monster” DJ Hi-Tek.  They describe themselves as “a loveable, mongrel-like entity made in Zuid Afrika, the love-child of many diverse cultures…all pumped into one wild and crazy journey down the crooked path to enlightenment.”

Die Antwoord is blowing up on the Internet (via MySpace, YouTube, etc.) so they’re worth a listen.  Their first album (a mixtape of sorts) will be available this February on their website for free and they beging touring Europe in April.  So..what do you think?

*Warning: Their lyrics contain many expletives.

Kanye West’s new album already mastered?

Music, News, ,

Word on the street is that Kanye West’s fourth studio album, follow up to the auto-tune inspired 808’s & Heartbreak, is near completion.  It comes from Kanye’s cousin and collaborator Devo Springsteen.  He shared these thoughts on his Twitter account: “Heard the new Kanye West album.  Inspiring…”  Sure, evidence of its completion is not bursting from the seams with this one, but something is there.  Since nothing official concerning a new album has come from the Kanye camp, it’s hard to know what stage it’s at.  However, Springsteen did hear something and he enjoyed it enough to share his thoughts on Twitter.  I’m hoping Kanye goes back to his roots with his next album, leaving auto-tune behind.  Don’t get me wrong; 808’s & Heartbreak is one of my favorite concept rap albums, but I feel that Kanye needs to really shine with his next outing.  And the only way for him to prove to everyone he can still impact music is if he goes back to where it all started.

Single: Mr Hudson – “Anyone But Him” (Featuring Kanye West)

Download link, Music, , ,

Mr Hudson is back with a new single off his upcoming album Straight No Chaser.  It’s called “Anyone But Him” and features Kanye West.  It’s the fourth single off the album, following “There Will Be Tears,” “Supernova,” and “White Lies.”  Straight No Chaser was released in the UK back in October and is expected to drop stateside March 15.  Listen below, download here.

[audio: Mr Hudson – Anyone But Him (Featuring Kanye West).mp3]

[Via KanyeBlog]

Avatar surpasses Titanic to become worldwide box office king

Movies, News, , ,

Few people in their lives strike gold twice.  James Cameron is one of those people.  After setting the box office record for highest grossing movie in 1997 with Titanic, Cameron did it again with Avatar this year.  Although final figures will not be reported until Tuesday, rough estimates have been compiled.  Having made $1,858,866,889, Avatar has officially trumped Titanic ($1,843,201,268) to become the highest grossing movie worldwide.  Avatar still trails Titanic domestically with  $554.9 million, behind Titanic‘s $600.7 million.  And don’t forget about price inflation from ’97 to present day; Avatar still needs to sell about 50 million more tickets for it to match the domestic sales of Titanic.  Internationally, though, it has bested Titanic $1.30 billion to $1.24 billion.

This can mean only one thing: 3D is here to stay.

[Via LA Times; image via LAmoviedriver]

Jack Bauer set to wield the Apple Tablet in upcoming episode

News, Television, ,

According to Rodney Charters, director of photography on 24, the show will try its best to somehow incorporate Apple’s still unannounced tablet device, pending Apple’s cooperation.  Charters tweets: “Hmmmm looks like we may get an iSlate into Jacks hands for Ep 20 getting giddy with excitement” and later updated with: “Got a bit too excited probably more likely Episode 22 but Apple provided fingers crossed.”

As exciting as this proposition sounds, it all hinges upon the actual existence of such a tablet.  We will know by tomorrow.  Oh, and it better be announced.  Because if it isn’t, you can be sure Jack will stationed outside the keynote doors waiting to interrogate Jobs (re-created for visual purposes above).

[Via Twitter page; Gizmodo]

Watch Lost’s Oceanic 815 crash in real time, 24-style

Television, Video, , ,

This has got to be one of the best well put together videos I’ve come across in quite some time.  A rabid Lost fan took it upon himself to splice together various scenes from a number of seasons to create this ten minute collage that reveals all events (that we know of) that occuried immediately before and during the fateful crash of Oceanic flight 815.  What makes it even more special is the split screen action, a la 24.  This allows the viewer to follow all the crucial moments side-by-side with each other, in real time.  Job well done, pyram1dhead.  As we get closer to the Lost season premiere (it’s only one week away!), expect a “sequel of sorts” from pyram1dhead this weekend.

[Via SciFiWire]

House spin-off is still a possibility

News, Television, , , , ,

For some time now rumors have swirled that House‘s Michael Weston (Lucas Douglas, the private detective who’s now lovey dovey with Cuddy) would star in a House spin-off series backed by Houseexecutive producers David Shore and Katie Jacobs.  Time had passed and with no word about such a spin-off I had all but lost hope.  But then this–FOX network president Kevin Reilly spoke with EW’s Ausiello and today reports that the spin-off idea is not dead.  In fact, the concept of another show helmed by Shore and Jacobs is very well alive.  Right now they have a “standing offer” to create a new FOX series for the 9PM time-slot.  Says Reilly: “It could be a direct spin-off or a completely new show.  Ideally, I would love David and Katie to have their own [two-hour block].”  When asked about the Lucas Douglas spin-off idea Reilly noted, “…they kind of stuck their toe in the water and just didn’t feel like it worked. The [character] worked [on] House, but [he] didn’t really work as [his] own thing.”  He also added, “They have really high standards.  These are not guys who commercially are going to chase something just to announce they have a spin-off and then figure out the show later on. They’re probably the most thorough producers… I’ve ever worked with.”

A House spin-off or a completely new Shore-Jacobs show?  I’d take either honestly.  They make a great team and I believe a new project, House-related or not, would strike gold yet again for FOX.  What say you?

[Via EW]

Gleeks, rejoice! (again!); NPH joins for Whedon-directed episode

News, Television, , , , ,

The headline says it all, really.  According to EW, Dr. Horrible himself, Neil Patrick Harris, is expected to join forces with Dr.H creator Joss Whedon for an upcoming episode of FOX’s hit show Glee.  In fact this would be quite a reunion for NPH; not only will he team with Whedon but he’ll also work with Zachary Woodlee who helped choreograph the song-and-dance inspired 100th episode of How I Met Your Mother.  NPH is expected to both sing and dance in the role, no surprise here.  The only road block is CBS allowing NPH to jump over to FOX for the shoot.  EW’s Ausiello points out that HIMYM and Glee are both produced by 20th Century Fox, so there really shouldn’t be an issue.  Glee returns with all new episodes April 13 on FOX.

[Via EW]

An open letter; The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien is no more

Open letter, Television, Video, , , ,

Dear Internet,

Today is a sad day.  Conan O’Brien, host of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, bids the show and NBC adieu.  Before I go on, please allow me to get this off my chest:

JAY LENO, NICE GOING.

After only seven months at The Tonight Show, NBC decided to remove Conan from the show.  The Jay Leno Show experiment failed, The Tonight Show was not receiving high ratings, and so the executives at NBC have chosen to course correct this mess by replacing Conan with Leno.  It’s like the whole switcharoo never happened.  I am angry with NBC and Leno for various reasons.  Although Conan’s ratings were not blasting through the roof, he was connecting with the coveted 18-49 demographic and slowly gaining a larger following.  NBC is kicking Conan out just seven months into the gig; he’s barely got his feet wet!  And then there’s Leno.  As you can clearly see in the video above, he initially attempted to be a gentleman in 2004 when he addressed his audience about the passing of the baton with Conan which would come in 2009.  After his failed experiment show at 10PM, Leno should have recognized his time was up and leave The Tonight Show with the man who worked so hard and for so long to reach his position.  Instead he tells NBC he is absolutely willing to replace Conan and end this legal mess on a low, sad note.

That said, let’s reflect back on Conan’s short stay at The Tonight Show: Continue reading An open letter; The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien is no more →

“The Virtual Revolution” documentary explores the effects of the Internet

Technology, Television, Video, , ,

This is a teaser clip from the upcoming BBC documentary titled “The Virtual Revolution.”  It’s a four part series about how the Internet is changing the world.  This teaser has got me looking forward to the series not only due to its tech-related content but also because of its impressive lineup of interviews.  Tim Berners-Lee (the inventor of the World Wide Web), Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Al Gore, Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, and Stephen Fry share their thoughts about how the web has altered (and continues to change) the world around us.

What’s also neat is that the creators and producers of the series left it up to us to decide the name (and some of the content) of the series.  Tentitively titled “Digital Revolution” the series will officially be named “The Virtual Revolution.”  The producers continue to hear opinions, thoughts, and experiences from around the web so that they can make the most relevant documentary possible.  “The Virtual Revolution” airs next week on BBC2.  If you do not receive this channel, I will update this page in the coming days with other outlets to watch if you’re interested.

[Via Gizmodo; The Virtual Revolution]

Spike Jonze promotes short film about robots in love with Absolut

Movies, Video, , , ,

Spike Jonze (Where the Wild Things Are) just announced his latest project titled I’m Here, a 30-minute short film about robots in love.  It premiered January 20 at the Sundance Film Festival.  Fast Company has the scoop on the plot: “Set in a gauzy version of L.A., it’s a love story about a boy and a girl–who also happen to be robots made from what looks like cast-off computer parts from 1994. That conceit allows Jonze to create a quirky, alternate world for their romance. In one scene, for example, the boy plugs in the girl for the night–which manages to become a scene of such delicate intimacy that it makes you squirm a little.”

What’s more intriguing is the way Jonze has mingled the short film with Absolut vodka.  A number of cut scenes from the short are incorporated into an Absolut commercial.  “This isn’t the first time people have created branded content,” says executive producer Mark Figliulio.  “But it’s never really been accepted on its own merits.  That’s the grey area we’re trying to explore.”  Jonze has directed commercials in the past (The Gap, Adidas, and Miller Beer).  “Spike respects the medium,” says second exec producer Matt Bijarchi.  “He’s one of the few people that see commercials as an art, and his ad work is every bit as discerning as his features.”

So far the short film has been been accepted into the Sundance, Berlin, and Turkey film festivals.  If its popularity continues to grow at the festivals and people show interest in the Absolut commercials the film may find a home in a box set and may even play on a yet to be announced cable channel.

[Via FastCompany]