Category Archives: Entertainment

Avatar success results in record numbers, “The Bootleg”

Hilarity, Movies, News, Video, , , , , ,

Avatar is a good movie and a breakthrough in 3D cinema.  We know that.  But how did it fare in the box office?  By the numbers it made (so far)…

  • $77 million on opening weekend
  • $75 million during Christmas weekend
  • $250.4 million in its first twelve days of release (that’s #6 fastest all-time and #1 non-sequel all-time)
  • $726,612,776 (worldwide) in its first twelve days of release
  • $39 million from 249 IMAX screens in just 10 days
  • #3 spot in the Box Office Mojo chart of the biggest Tuesday box-office earnings ever
  • Total gross: Domestic: $268,886,074 (36.1%) + Foreign: $476,192,825 (63.9%) = Worldwide: $745,078,899 (as of today, 12/31)
  • The Hot Blog speculates that “there is a very real chance that the film will break $1 billion worldwide before it’s fourth weekend starts. If not, it seems pretty sure to happen in that fourth weekend.”

Sounds like Cameron and crew will make bank off this massively successful movie.  And do they deserve it.  Avatar was in many aspects an experimental film for James Cameron and he took a big risk in making it.  (It cost around $500 million to make.)  It all paid off, so to speak; critics praised it, movie-goers flocked to it, and the 3D and IMAX integration successfully added to the immersive experience.  Job well done all around.

Update: Avatar hits $1 billion in seventeen days, reaching that milestone faster than any other movie in history.  Right now it remains the third largest grossing movie, behind Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Cameron’s other hit Titanic.

Then there’s this: “Free Love Forum takes you behind the scenes of the revolutionary new bootleg of the revolutionary new movie.”  Please sit back and enjoy this comedy mockumentary of “Avatar: The Bootleg.”

[Via TheHotBlog; BoxOfficeMojo; Slashfilm; AC; Collider; TechCrunch; The Inquirer]

Glee’s HI-larious Jane Lynch joins The Cleveland Show

News, Television, , , ,

Glee‘s we-love-to-hate-villian-in-a-jumpsuit Jane Lynch joins The Cleveland Show as “Roberta’s brusque, no-nonsense new teacher Ms. Eck.”  EW’s Ausiello sat down for a short quip with Lynch and she discussed her excitement for the part:

Are you a fan of Family Guy?
JANE LYNCH: I love Family Guy. I am also appalled and shocked by Family Guy. And I am proud to say that several children in my family under the age of 10 get it and love it, too.

How is Ms. Eck similar to Sue Sylvester?
LYNCH: They both lack filters and say whatever awful thing comes into their mind. In-the-head-and-out-the-mouth syndrome.

And how are they different?
LYNCH: Ms. Eck lacks Sue’s icy Nordic aggression.

Your first reaction upon viewing yourself in ‘toon form?
LYNCH: Ms. Eck may have the largest, most disproportionate butt in cartoon history.

Tune in January 10 (FOX, 8:30PM) to see Jane Lynch get animated by Seth McFarlane.  This should be good.

[Via EW; TVSquad]

New logos for Nick & AOL

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Nick

I reported back in late July that Nickelodeon’s “splat” logo was about to undergo a transformation, and now it’s time to follow up.  After much deliberation, the creative team at Nick decided go with what you see above (right).  Obviously the focal point of the new logo is the stretched “i” that resembles a kid.  Cyma Zarghami, president of Nick and MTV Networks’ Kids and Family Group: “We wanted to clean it [the logo] up and allow Nick to be the stamp on all of these channels.  In asking ourselves if everything could live under the splat, we decided that the splat was dated.  It just couldn’t be done in a streamlined way.”  To celebrate Nick’s 30th anniversary, the new logo was unveiled this past fall and is now in full force.  Rest in peace, splat; you will never be forgotten.  Peek after the break for all the new streamlined Nick logos including those for Nick Jr., TeenNick, NickToons, and Nick@Nite.

AOL Logo, Before and After

From “AOL” to “Aol.” America Online has gone through its paces over the years.  First it was everyone’s portal to the Internet during the dial-up days.  Then they merged with Time Warner and became the butt of many jokes since it lost its dominance due to high speed Internet the introduction of the sole Internet browser as the main portal to the other side.  On December 10, AOL detached itself from Time Warner, thus ending a short-lived and unsuccessful merger, and decided to enter the next decade with a whole new identity.  Tim Armstrong, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AOL: “Our new identity is uniquely dynamic. Our business is focused on creating world-class experiences for consumers and AOL is centered on creative and talented people — employees, partners, and advertisers. We have a clear strategy that we are passionate about and we plan on standing behind the AOL brand as we take the company into the next decade.”  Sure AOL lost its steam as computer users began to realize they didn’t need it any longer as a source for email and browsing; but it is still relevant today.  AOL owns a bunch of content and their plan for the next decade is to push this content harder.  Besides maintaining the unpopular AOL software, they also continually update AOL Instant Messenger (still used by many as a communication service) and they own popular blogs like Engadget and TMZ.  As a reinvigorated content-driven organization free from the shackles of Time Warner, Aol. enters 2010 with fresh vision and slightly different logo for a new generation.

[Via UnderConsideration, here & here]

Continue reading New logos for Nick & AOL →

Most realistic DeLorean is up for grabs on eBay

Cars, Design, Images, Movies, , , , , ,

I’m sure you are all familiar with the DeLorean of Back to the Future fame.  BTTF enthusiast Gary Weaver has built the most realistic recreation of the time-machine car with a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12.  Six years of research results in what you see in the gallery below.  (Fun fact: The location where this photo shoot was taken place is at the Gamble House in Pasadena, the very house that served as Doc Brown’s residence.)

  • Built on a beautiful, super-clean, stock 1981 5-speed DMC-12 with over $16,000 of mechanical work and upgrades performed at DMC California in September of 2008. Approx. 78K miles on vehicle.
  • Programmable time circuits which function just like those in the film.
  • Functioning digital speedometer on the dashboard (reads actual vehicle speed).
  • Main Time Circuit switch functions just like in the film, with all sound effects.
  • All interior indicators and switches light up, just like in the film.
  • Sound effects upon door opening.
  • Screen-accurate “OUTATIME” metal-stamped license plate with 1986 registration tag.
  • Eagle Goodyear GT tires, as seen in the film (not pictured).

It’s up for grabs on eBay right now.  You can “buy it now” for 90K; or the current bid stands at $60, 301.03 (there’s been ten bids placed on it).  The auction ends in about two hours!

[Via Jalopnik; Gizmodo]

Music video: Owl City – “Fireflies”

Music, Video, , , ,

Yeah I know this song has been out in the wild for some time now.  In fact, it’s been sitting in the upper half of the iTunes top ten chart for weeks now.  As of this writing it sits at #3 and the Ocean Eyes, the album it resides on, is at the #1 spot.  But for those of you who have not yet experienced Adam Young’s music video for the popular tune, do yourself a favor and watch it right now.  The kid’s a brilliant song writer and artist.  The music video holds an air of tranquility and chaos and best represents the conception and meaning behind the song.  Enjoy.

Kid Cudi wants you to augment your reality

Music, Technology, Video, , ,

Bored?  Got nothing else better to do?  Have (a little) fun with this quick activity that involves your webcam and a piece of paper with a QR code on it.  First click here to view and print the special marker.  Then click here and scroll down to find a box that prompts you to allow access to your webcam.  Then hold up the printed market to the camera and let the fun begin!  Need help setting up?  Watch the video above as a guide to getting started.

[Via DatNewCudi]

BEST XMAS VIDEO EVER

Hilarity, Music, Video, , ,

“All I Want For Christmas (Is To Rock).”  Featuring Chris Hardwick, Dana Dearmond (porn star), Rob Huebel (Human Giant), Annie Hardy (Giant Drag), Brendon Walsh, Dave Gibbs, Paul Bonanno, Jonah Ray and Eli Braden.  G4’s Chris Hardwick (Attack of the Show, Web Soup) stars as the lead singer in this raunchy 80s-themed X-mas rock video by Sniper.  Enjoy.

[Via Nerdist]

My gift to you…

Download link, Television, , , , ,

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

That link above is my gift to you!  Happy holidays.  Oh ok, I’ll tell you what’s inside.  For a limited time iTunes is offering the following Lost content for free: parts 1 & 2 of the season one pilot and all five season recap episodes.  They include Destination: Lost (Season 1 recap), Lost: A Tale of Survival (Season 1 & 2 recap), Lost: Past, Present, & Future (Season 1, 2, & 3 recap), Destiny Calls (Season 1, 2, 3, & 4 recap), and A Journey in Time (Season 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 recap).  So for all you Lost fans out there, get brushed up by re-watching the brilliant pilot episode and studying all the recaps in preperation for the Season 6 premiere.  Lost: The Final Season begins February 2, 2010.

Music video: Jay-Z – “Young Forever” (Featuring Mr Hudson)

Music, Video, , , ,

This is the second music video off Jay-Z’s latest album, The Blueprint 3.  It follows “Empire State of Mind” featuring Alicia Keys.  In case you missed that one it’s posted after the break.  Looks like Jay-Z is stuck with the black-and-white scheme for the album’s videos.  Scratch that, how could I forget about “Run This Town?”  It works, so no complaints.  Snag a copy of TB3 if you haven’t already; it’s worth it.  “On to the Next One” premieres next on New Year’s Eve (w/ Carson Daily, NBC).

[Via KanyeBlog]

Continue reading Music video: Jay-Z — “Young Forever” (Featuring Mr Hudson) →

Lady Gaga electrfies the pose, her most bizzare yet?

Fashion, Images, Music, ,

Lady Gaga’s latest photoshoot consists of these images that can be found in the limited edition copy of her re-release album, The Fame Monster.  This “zombie cyborg” look is almost as scary as her red-mesh face mask she wore when she accepted her VMA.  Oh, come on, you remember–bet you still have nightmares from it.

[Via Gizmodo]

Lost Season 6 publicity stills

Images, Television, , , ,

Nothing too exciting here, but at least it’s something to add to the daily grind of waiting for the highly anticipated premiere that cannot come soon enough!  You can find all the season regulars in their poses in the gallery below; 31 pictures in all!  They include Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Jin, Sun, Sayid, Hurley, Claire, Miles, Ben, Richard, Lapidus, IIana, and Charlie.  HA!  Just kidding about that last one.   //020210//

[Via IGN]

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