Category Archives: Entertainment

Watch this 23 minute behind-the-scenes video of Avatar

Movies, Technology, Video, ,

Go behind-the-scenes and learn all about the magic of Pandora in this video titled “Creating the World of Pandora.”  It touches upon the secrets behind the 3D motion capture technique and other design elements of the film.  It also includes interviews with director James Cameron, producer Jon Landau, Cameron’s creative crew, and actors Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, and Sigourney Weaver.  If you enjoyed Avatar and if you are at all curious about James Cameron’s vision this is a must-watch video.  It should hold you until the Blu-Ray release drenches us in tons of extras.

[Via SciFiWire]

Trailer: MacGruber

Movies, Video, , , , , ,

 

That’s right.  The infamous MacGyver spoof sketch from Saturday Night Live is coming to the silver screen.  MacGruber stars SNL’s Will Forte, Kristin Wiig, Bill Hader, and Maya Randolph along with Val Kilmer, Ryan Phillippe, Powers Boothe, and Rhys Coiro.  It’s written by Will Forte, John Soloman, and Jorma Taccone.  Taccone, a member of Andy Samberg’s Lonely Island crew, also directs the film.  MacGruber is due out in theatres April 23, 2010.  Embedded above is the red band trailer; look after the break for the standard trailer which is slightly different. 

Continue reading Trailer: MacGruber →

Single for Haiti relief: Lupe Fiasco & Kenna – “Resurrection”

Download link, Music, ,

I realize Lupe & Kenna ask you to download this free track to donate money for Haiti relief.  What they mean to say is download this track, share it with others, and donate money any way you can.  You want to know the fastest, most simplest way to give money to help the poor people in Haiti?  Send a text message.

  • Text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross
  • Text HAITI to 25383 to donate $5 to International Rescue Committee
  • Text HAITI to 45678 to donate $5 to the Salvation Army in Canada
  • Text YELE to 501501 to donation $5 to Yele
  • Text RELIEF to 30644 to get automatically connected to Catholic Relief Services and donate money with your credit card
  • Text HAITI to 864833 to donate $5 to The United Way
  • Text CERF to 90999 to donate $5 to The United Nations Foundation
  • Text DISASTER to 90999 to donate $10 to Compassion International

    • So far text message donations to Haiti surpassed the $10 million mark.  If you haven’t contributed to this outstanding number please do so at your earliest convenience.  The people of Haiti need our support and this really is the easiest way to lend a helping hand.  Now listen to Lupe’s lastest creation (which happens to be really good), share it with others, and spread the word of text message donations.

    [audio: Lupe Fiasco & Kenna – Resurrection.mp3]

    [Via KanyeBlog]

    Voice Band app turns your voice into a myriad of instruments (freakin’ awesome!)

    Music, Technology, Video, , , , , , ,

    From WaveMachineLabs comes a new innovative app for the iPhone called Voice Band.  Simply put, the app turns your voice into an instrument in real time.  Instruments include 2 guitars, a bass, sax, 2 synths, drums, and a mic.  Basically you make sounds with your voice and the app converts and records these sounds into instrument sounds, allowing you to layer them on top of each other to create a final product that may actually sound like an intricate, well thought out song.  In mic mode you can even top it all off with your own vocals; don’t worry, a built-in auto pitch helps you stay on key.  You also have the option to play your iPod library in the background and “play along with your favorite music.”  Songs can be saved and emailed to friends within the app.  Voice Band is available in the App Store today for $2.99.  It works with all iPhones and the 2nd gen iPod touch; you must have OS 3.0 or later installed.  One more stipulation–a pair of headphones (with a built-in mic) is required for iPod touch and original iPhone users.  See it in action in the video above.  Definitely one of the coolest apps I’ve come by in a while.

    [Via Gizmodo]

    Digital guitar doesn’t need strings

    Music, Technology, Video, , , , ,

    The Misa Digital Guitar is basically a MIDI controller hidden inside what appears to be a standard guitar.  It’s no so standard in that it doesn’t have any strings; instead it contains 144 note buttons and a large touch screen control pad.  Since it’s an open source Linux-powered MIDI controller at heart, it can play a variety of instrument packs you have installed on your computer.  Let the digital future of shredding commence!

    [Via Engadget]

    Student creates music controller with Arduino & an accelerometer

    Music, Technology, Video, , , , ,

    Parsons student Ryan Raffa crafted a do-it-yourself music controller with an ADXL 335 accelerometer and an Arduino board that communicates serially with Max MSP.  In simpler terms he created a small device that has five embedded tracks and a sixth button that applies a delay on those tracks; pushing the buttons plays the various tracks and moving the device around slows down and speeds up the beat thanks to the built-in accelerometer.  (An accelerometer is the device installed in iPhones and other gadgets that allows users to swap from vertical to landscape views just by changing the orientation of the device.)  Check out Ryan’s final product in the video above.  I think it’s safe to say he received an “A” for his final class project.

    [Via Engadget]

    2010 Golden Globe winners: Glee, Up, The Hangover, & Avatar come out victorious

    Movies, News, Television, , ,

    This year’s televised Golden Globes award show was terribly boring.  That said, allow me to share my excitement over some of the night’s winners.  (And take a second to glance at my predictions.)

    In the television categories, Glee won Best TV Comedy…and that’s about all that interested me.  Fellow freshman comedy Modern Family and others like 30 Rock, The Office, and Entourage missed out on the win.  In my opinion Glee or Modern Family equally deserved to win this category.  Notable losses include House to Mad Men (Best TV Drama); Hugh Laurie to Michael C. Hall (Best Actor in TV Drama); Matthew Morrison and Steve Carell to Alec Baldwin (Best Actor in TV Comedy); Lea Michelle and Tina Fey to Toni Collette (Best Actress in TV Comedy); Michael Emerson, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jeremy Piven to John Lithgow (Best Supporting Actor in TV Series); Jane Lynch to Chloe Sevigny (Best Supporting Actress in TV Series).

    In the film categories, UP deservedly won Best Animated Film and Best Score (props to Michael Giacchino); The Hangover surprised everyone and won Best Musical/Comedy against Nine, Julie & Julia, It’s Complicated, and 500 Days of Summer; Christoph Waltz surprised no one and took Best Supporting Actor for his memorable role in Inglourious Basterds; and Robert Downey, Jr. unexpectedly won Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy for his role as Sherlock Holmes.  His acceptance speech was by far the most entertaining.  I was truly blown away by the success of Avatar (or as Arnold Schwarzenegger called it, “Avadart”); it won Best Drama and James Cameron took Best Director (beating out his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) and Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds). The time and money this epic took to create paid off both financially and critically.  Job well done, Cameron.  Notable losses include District 9 and Inglourious Basterds to Up in the Air (Best Screenplay).

    Also, we cannot forget about the coveted Cecil B. Demille Award “for lifetime achievement in motion pictures.”  This year it was bestowed upon director Martin Scorsese for his excellent work in films like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Good Fellas, The Departed, and the forthcoming Shutter Island.  For the full list of winners click here.

    Lost and Modern Family will take it next year.

    Watch this shot-for-shot modern rendition of the ‘Perfect Strangers’ opening credits

    Hilarity, Television, Video, , ,

    Here’s random for you… Perfect Strangers was an ABC sitcom that ran for eight seasons from 1986 to 1993.  Today, a bunch of theatre geeks got together to create a shot-for-shot remake of the opening credits introduction from the show.  The remake takes place in Seattle and many of the landmarks are eerily similar to those found in the original introduction, which took place in Chicago.  Can you find all the prominent Seattle landmarks?  Jump after the break for a list of them.  Great job, guys!

    [Via Pereira’s Twitter page; SeattlePI]

    Continue reading Watch this shot-for-shot modern rendition of the ‘Perfect Strangers’ opening credits →

    Glee’s Matthew Morrison’s upcoming album will have “substance”

    Music, News, , ,

    Will Shuester–er, Matthew Morrison–is taking it to the next level.  He plans on releasing his own album sometime this year with Mercury Records.  “What I’m creating has yet to be defined yet but I want it to be something very diverse. For me, music is about creating a mood. The best songs for me are songs that I just lose myself in.”  He adds, “I don’t wanna put out a crap CD. I want it to be with substance. I don’t wanna be singing about money or handbags.”  Question is, what will it sound like?  “I’m drawing my inspiration from like Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr.  All those people that kind of did it all: film, TV, Broadway. I’m just so influenced by that music.”  Sounds good to me.  I’m picturing Michael Buble-esque sound with a Matthew Morrison touch that only he can blurt out.  If it sounds anything like we’ve heard from him on Glee–but more mature–I think I might be satisfied.  We’ll have to wait and see.

    [Via EW-MusicMix]