Jimmy Fallon knows how to have fun with New Yorkers. After going undercover in silly disguises, The Tonight Show host and musical guest U2 busked in the 42nd St. subway station. “Guys, give monies to your local artists,” Fallon shouted in the subway. Watch as a small crowd starts to gather as U2 frontman Bono belts out a stripped-down version of the band’s gem “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” When Jimmy and the band ditch their disguises just in time for a performance of “Desire,” New York’s finest make cameos as the growing crowd erupts in total excitement. In case you missed the impromptu concert, see highlights in the video hanging above!
Category Archives: Video
Ed Helms leads a new generation of Griswalds in ‘Vacation’
National Lampoon’s classic 1983 comedy Vacation is making a comeback. Instead of a reboot, the new Vacation stars Ed Helms as the now grown up Russell “Rusty” Griswold. In the original, Rusty was played by a young Anthony Michael Hall. Co-starring with Helms is Christina Applegate, who plays his wife, and Leslie Mann has a supporting role. Reprising their roles from the origial Vacation are Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo. The film, written by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (Horrible Bosses), sees a new generation of Griswolds take a bumpy trip to the Walley World theme park before it closes for good. This red-band trailer is a ton of fun packs some solid laughs. Are you excited for a Vacation set in 2015?
Vacation opens July 29.
Microsoft demonstrates powerful educational capabilities with Windows Holographic
“Imagine a computer that allows you to put your images anywhere and you can interact with things as a combination of the real world and holograms.”
Microsoft’s been hard at work on its physical world meets digital world hologram technology ever since the company unveiled it to much fanfare in January. Windows Holographic, as well as Microsoft’s augmented reality headset that enables it–HoloLens–were on display this week at the company’s developer conference Build 2015. The video embedded above reintroduces the breakthrough technology, and it also peels back the many layers and sensors packed inside.
“We envisioned an all-in-one device this is untethered with built-in batteries, hands-free and floating audio,” says a HoloLens engineer. The hardware is powered by a dedicated Holographic Processing Unit (or HPU) and Windows 10.
Microsoft is collaborating with Case Western Reserve University to advance medical education in incredible ways with Windows Holographic. A professor and student were invited to the stage to demonstrate HoloLens’ real-life capabilities. Harness the headset to visualize three-dimensional representations of the human body. Unlike a solitary cadaver, HoloLens pushes the learning experience further with the ability to instantly separate and focus on separate systems (muscular, skeletal, etc.), as well as parts of the body such as an animated yet lifelike beating heart. Click here to watch the demo.
Using Windows Holographic with Hololens for medical studies is just the beginning. The school is also experimenting with uses across many fields including chemistry and genetics, art, engineering, and paleontology. Additionally, the demo made it clear that HoloLens promotes remote learning, too; if you can’t make it to class, your teacher can see what you see and even view and respond to questions and comments.
Having the ability to plaster Netflix virtually anywhere around you sounds like a neat idea, but the way in which Microsoft’s futuristic foray into holograms will push the medicine, science, and engineering is what should be exciting you most. The possibilities here are truly endless and so exciting.
Elsewhere at Build, Microsoft branded its new web browser for Windows 10. Jump after the break to learn its new name. Continue reading Microsoft demonstrates powerful educational capabilities with Windows Holographic
M. Night Shyamalan goes “found-footage” for latest supernatural horror pic ‘The Visit’
What happens when director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, The Village, Lady in the Water) teams up with producer Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity, Insidious, Sinister, The Purge)?
The Visit, that’s what. Shyamalan’s next original supernatural film goes a little something like this:
Shyamalan returns to his roots with the terrifying story of a brother and sister who are sent to their grandparents’ remote Pennsylvania farm for a weeklong trip. Once the children discover that the elderly couple is involved in something deeply disturbing, they see their chances of getting back home are growing smaller every day.
Let’s just say these aren’t your typical grandparents–unless your Grandma and Grandpa are seemingly possessed by otherworldly, decidedly demonic creatures.
With The Visit, Shyamalan is embracing Blum’s tried-and-true “found footage” shooting technique; Paranormal Activity and its many sequels have proven that even dirt-cheap horror flicks can be thrilling and quite lucrative. Though the acclaimed director has shot some duds as of late (read: The Happening, After Earth), this inevitable collaboration between Shyamalan and Blum is just tantalizing enough to warrant a look-see. Shyamalan is known for his twist endings that turn all of the events proceeding it on its head, and I can only imagine what he’s cooked up in Blumhouse Productions’ latest.
The Visit opens September 11.
Star Wars stand-alone pic ‘Rogue One’ details surface; ‘Star Wars: Battlefront’ game trailer inside
The Star Wars Celebration convention continues. Mere days after unveiling the universally enjoyable second teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a second panel packed with franchise fans would parcel fresh intel regarding one of the two upcoming Star Wars stand-alone films. Today’s panel was originally supposed to feature Gareth Edwards and Josh Trank, but the latter director was a no-show due to an illness. So, only Edwards’ Rogue One spinoff film was discussed, and Trank’s still untitled Star Wars pic wasn’t brought up. Moving on!
Godzilla director Edwards was joined on stage by Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy and Kiri Hart. First and foremost, we’ve got a description for Rogue One: “A band of resistance fighters unite for a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans,” spills Star Wars’ official Twitter feed. At the panel, it was confirmed that The Theory of Everything‘s Felicity Jones will star as a Rebel soldier.
A brief teaser was screened at the panel; Lucasfilms has yet to post a clean copy of it online, but that never stopped the Internet before. You can search YouTube for cell phone recordings but be quick about it–they’ll be pulled before long. In case you can’t find it, here’s a quick description of the action. It opens with narration from Alec Guinness who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars film. The dialogue pulled from A New Hope went like this: “For more than a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire.” The visuals start on a planet teeming with lush forestry. As the camera starts panning towards a bright sky, a TIE Fighter zooms by heading for what appears to be the planet’s nearby moon. As we follow it fly away, we realize that’s no moon–it’s the original Death Star hanging beyond the clouds. The teaser goes black, and just as solider radio coms chatter starts to get hectic, the Star Wars Rogue One title card appears.
Be mindful that this footage was made in collaboration with the folks at Industrial Light & Magic specially for this reveal. Edwards and his team are currently in pre-production with shooting set to begin this summer. The clip is a mere taste of what’s to come. In addition to the footage, concept art was also displayed for the rabid crowd; it depicts soldiers storming onto a rainy, muddy planet.
Edwards briefly expanded on Rogue One. “It’s the reality of war. Good guys are bad. Bad guys are good. It’s complicated, layered; a very rich scenario in which to set a movie,” he said. Don’t expect the film’s main set of characters to bring down their enemies with The Force or other mythological powers, because they won’t. Edwards says, “It comes down to a group of individuals who don’t have magical powers that have to somehow bring hope to the galaxy.” Sounds like a much more grounded, realistic approach to the franchise, one we haven’t yet seen. Edwards’ spinoff is very much a war movie; the director cited Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down as inspirations. “It’s called Star … Wars,” he reminded the crowd. In terms of where it fits in the Star Wars timeline: Edwards confirmed Rogue One takes place after Revenge of the Sith and before A New Hope.
Expanding Star Wars‘ inherently sci-fi tendencies and pushing the franchise’s genre in new directions is, in fact, the point here. “The idea behind these movies is that Star Wars, as much as it is a set of stories and characters we know, it’s also a place–a place we can explore in terms of character and time,” said Hart. Edwards’ Rogue One will showcase a heist story set in a gritty, war-torn environment with relatable soldiers who wield no magic. Though we don’t have information to go on yet about Trank’s spinoff, his film is also set to play with the genre and inject new storytelling elements into the franchise.
We should stop using the term “spinoff films” at this point, since Kennedy and Hart introduced a new branding term for all non-trilogy franchise films. All spinoff/standalone movies set in the Star Wars universe are to be referred to as films in the “Star Wars Anthology Series.”
Star Wars Rogue One, the first Star Wars Anthology Series film, is slated to hit theatres December 16, 2016.
An incredible look at Electronic Arts’ video game Star Wars: Battlefront waits after the break. Continue reading Star Wars stand-alone pic ‘Rogue One’ details surface; ‘Star Wars: Battlefront’ game trailer inside
‘Fantastic Four’ trailer elevates excitement for the franchise reboot
Following a decidedly lackluster debut teaser that dropped on January, the first official full-length trailer for the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot picks up the pace and excitement with some pretty slick looking action sequences and a closer look at the heroes’ superpowers. Also, we get a blink-and-you-miss-it first look at the face of the superhero team’s nemesis, Dr. Doom.
Fantastic Four, a contemporary re-imagining of Marvel’s original and longest-running superhero team, centers on four young outsiders who teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.
Miles Teller (Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic), Michael B. Jordan (Johnny Storm / Human Torch), Kate Mara (Susan Storm / Invisible Woman), Jamie Bell (Ben Grimm / The Thing), and Toby Kebbell (Victor Domashev / Doom) star in the reboot directed by Josh Trank (Chronicle) and written by Simon Kinberg and Jeremy Slater.
Fantastic Four hits theatres August 7.
It’s Batman versus Superman in debut ‘Dawn of Justice’ trailer
Less than a day after leaking online, Warner Bros. shifted the release date of the first Batman v Superman teaser trailer from Monday to today. That’s right–merely one day after Disney dropped its splendid second teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, WB is jumping into the limelight with a first look at its upcoming high-profile flick.
The first half of the two minute and thirteen second teaser focuses on a statue of Superman; as we zoom in closer and closer to it, a barrage of moral, philosophical, and even religious questions and statements fill in as noise. In a world that was introduced to Superman in Man of Steel, the people are questioning his status: is he a hero, a villain…the devil? Listen carefully and you’ll recognize Jesse Eisenberg’s voice in the mix; as Lex Luthor he says, “We know better now, don’t we? Devil’s don’t come from Hell beneath us; no, they come from the sky.” An unseen angry mob starts chanting “Go home! Go home!” and bam: the next shot reveals that the chestplate on the Superman statue has been defiled with words in red shouting “FALSE GOD.”
Next, enter Jeremy Irons’s disembodied voice. As Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred Pennyworth he speaks, “That’s how it starts. The fever. The rage. The feeling of powerlessness. That turns good men, cruel.” And here’s our latest glimpse at Ben Affleck as Bruce, who is staring with intent at his suit; is he pondering whether or not to don it and take down the “false god” once and for all?
More shots of the Caped Crusader fly by, and we also get peeks at his Bat-vehicles. But the most striking image is saved for last. A close-up of Batman’s cowl in a dark rainstorm reveals his ominous, glowing eyes; so, so cool. Henry Cavill’s Superman floats above him in the sky. Batman growls, “Tell me. Do you bleed?” The man from Krypton anchors to the ground with powerful force and just as he’s about to meet Batman’s gaze, everything goes black. “You will,” snarls Batman. Superman’s emblem takes over, with Batman’s logo as the backdrop.
It’s all very dark and gritty, just the way director Zack Snyder likes it. The teaser is cut extremely well, reintroducing Superman into a chaotic world and unveiling Batman as a promising adversary. Plus, you must admit, Affleck wears the suit well (those glowing eyes are so cool!) and manages the Bat’s signature voice with finesse.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens March 25, 2016.
Update (4/20): To celebrate the trailer’s release, Zack Snyder tweeted out a grand look at his take on the famed Bat Suit. Jump after the break to see it in all its glory. Continue reading It’s Batman versus Superman in debut ‘Dawn of Justice’ trailer
A memorable new teaser for ‘The Force Awakens’ arrives at Star Wars Celebration, plus new character details
Today at the Star Wars Celebration convention in Anaheim, California, director J.J. Abrams and producer Kathleen Kennedy unveiled the latest teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Tons of fans present at the event exploded in excitement over the new one minute fifty-nine second teaser, and now you can too; go on, don’t hesitate, mash play above and let all of its glory wash over you! Done? Watch it again.
A few things to note. That is original Star Wars star Mark Hamill providing voice-over during the first half of the teaser; his lines are directly plucked from Return of the Jedi when he’s revealing to Leia that Darth Vader is his father. “The force is strong in my family,” says Hamill’s Luke Skywalker. “My father has it. I have it. My sister has it.” The line that comes next is new: “And you have the power, too.” We’re left to assume here that Luke is talking to a next-generation Skywalker in The Force Awakens, but neither Abrams nor Kennedy would confirm. Seeing Darth Vader’s utterly maligned helmet here is a striking image that I know will sit with me for some time.
What else? Referring to the desert world that made its debut in the first teaser, Abrams confirmed it is not Luke Skywalker’s home of Tattoine, but instead an entirely new world called Jakku. These expansive, beautiful sequences were filmed in the deserts of Abu Dhabi.
The latter half of the panel introduced new franchise stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac. Respectively they play a scavenger named Rey, a Stormtrooper named Finn, and an X-Wing pilot named Poe Dameron. Though plot details are still being tightly kept under wraps, Abrams allowed each of them to briefly let some character details fly.
“We discover Rey on the desert planet Jakku,” Ridley shared with the crowd. “She is a scavenger in a ship graveyard. She’s completely self-sufficient and does everything for herself, until she meets another character and an adventure begins.” Boyega picks up and says, “When we find Finn, he’s in incredible danger. The way he decides to react changes his life and launches him into the Star Wars universe in a unique way.” Issac goes on to describe Dameron like this: “He’s the best fricking pilot in the galaxy, that’s who he is! He’s been sent on a mission by a certain princess. He comes across Mr. John Boyega’s character and their fates are forever intertwined.”
Making fun surprise appearances today were R2-D2 and the new droid BB-8. Though The Force Awakens admittedly uses lots of green screen for its special effects, Abrams reiterated his film’s reliance on practical effects and BB8 is a prime example of that. “We talked about how having a CGI BB-8 would be easier,” Abrams noted. “But we thought it would be better for the actors and the performances to have the real thing.” The director is taking a cue from Star Wars creator George Lucas’s playbook here; the original trilogy took advantage of robotics and advanced puppetry to pull off some of the most inventive and impressive stunts in cinematic history. Sounds like J.J. is on board with that, too. Watch BB-8 in action on stage right here.
The trailer ends with perhaps the most exciting bit yet: Han Solo and Chewbacca return in fleetingly grand fashion and ignite the nostalgic part of our collective brains. “Chewie, we’re home,” Han positively snarls, which is then followed by the lovable Wookiee’s signature roar. Though Han’s portrayer Harrison Ford wasn’t on hand at the event, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, and Peter Mayhew showed up to express their ultimate gratitude for the generations of passionate Star Wars fans. “I have a simple message: a simple thank you,” Hamill gushed. “If it weren’t for all the UPFs—Ultra Passionate Fans—we wouldn’t be here. It never ceases to amaze me.”
Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens December 18.
Dennis Quaid’s on-set freak out remains hysterical even after learning its origins
In case you missed this viral gem, veteran actor Dennis Quaid was caught on camera freaking out on a production set and naturally it was uploaded to YouTube for the world to see. In under a week it racked up over 2.1 million views. Why? Because it’s laced with all kinds of absurd obscenity of which the likes we haven’t seen spout from an actor’s lips since Christian Bale’s infamous meltdown. If you haven’t seen the Quaid clip yet, go on and watch it above. (Warning: This is being labeled NSFW due to language.)
After lingering on the Internet for days, murmurs about it being a prank were confirmed today when Funny or Die claimed complete responsibility for the ruse. And instead of simply making an announcement, they released “The Full Video” version of the faux-freak out which can be screened after the break. Turns out all of Quaid’s name-calling was quite literal, including poor old Dopey the Dick.
Were we duped? Yes, the majority of us were tricked into believing Dennis Quaid is a monster of a man. But our reward–Funny or Die’s absolutely hysterical follow-up–made the viral ride so well worth it. Continue reading Dennis Quaid’s on-set freak out remains hysterical even after learning its origins
Rock on: ‘Guitar Hero’ returns with all new ways to play
Guitar Hero is dead. Long live Guitar Hero! More, long live the rhythm-based video game genre!
In March, Harmonix–the developers behind Guitar Hero (2005), its 2006 sequel, and spinoff Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s (2007)–announced the revival of Rock Band with the fourth iteration in that long-running game franchise. Today, Activision followed suit by unveiling an unapologetically bold take on Rock Band‘s competitor, Guitar Hero. That’s right–the title that started the rhythm-based revolution is coming to current-gen consoles and it’s packed with fresh songs, a retooled guitar peripheral, and most exciting, new forms of gameplay.
Jump after the break for all the juicy details. Continue reading Rock on: ‘Guitar Hero’ returns with all new ways to play
‘Ant-Man’ flexes superpowers in new trailer, plus latest look at ‘Terminator: Genisys’ inside
If the original Ant-Man teaser left you feeling twinges of excitement for Marvel’s next superhero movie, the first official trailer will have you beaming in adrenaline. This is our first major look at Paul Rudd as the poorly (?) named hero who can shrink down to the size of an insect at will. The clip features extended scenes showing Rudd’s Scott Lang utilizing the power of his suit, as well as the introduction to Corey Stoll’s villainous Yellowjacket. The special effects look breathtaking, and the thrilling adventure laid out here–sprinkled with Marvel’s signature humor, of course–comes off as more than promising.
Ant-Man hits theatres July 17.
Jump after the break to watch the latest trailer for Terminator: Genisys. Continue reading ‘Ant-Man’ flexes superpowers in new trailer, plus latest look at ‘Terminator: Genisys’ inside
Apple Watch preorders going live: here’s what you need to know
The Apple Watch is coming. Are you ready?
Today, one day before pre-orders go live on Friday, April 10, Apple outed a press release detailing how the big launch is going to work. If you want a Watch anytime soon, be ready to preorder online tonight at midnight–specifically, Friday morning at 12:01am PDT. All three styles including the Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch, and Apple Watch Edition are bound to sell out faster than you can say Steve Jobs, so you’ll want your finger on the checkout button precisely at that time. After securing a preorder, customers can expect product delivery beginning Friday, April 24.
Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and Online Stores, also mentions in the press release that the company “will be taking orders for Apple Watch exclusively online during the initial launch period.” I added the emphasis there because it’s important to note. At least at launch, you will not be able to walk into a store to buy the Watch; Apple is making it available for purchase solely at its online store for now.
However, that does not mean Apple Stores and select boutiques around the world won’t be showing off the newly minted timepieces. Visit a brick-and-mortar Apple Store “for a personalized session with a Specialist to try on, fit and size their band, and explore the amazing features of Apple Watch.” Though you won’t be walking out of the store with it, such a session will surely help you decide on which style and size are best, and then you make an informed buy online. Happy shopping, and may the odds be ever in your favor!
Need something to do while you’re waiting for pre-ordering to go live tonight? Hop after the break to watch four recently uploaded official Guided Tours to learn your way around the Watch and its snazzy UI. A general overview, as well as focused looks at Messages, watch faces, and Digital Touch, will get you acclimated with Apple’s “most personal device.”
Is that not enough? There’s more. It’s not Watch-related, but it’s still something you should know. HBO NOW, the premium cable network’s standalone streaming service, has gone live across Apple devices including Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Get the app and get started with a free 30-day trial. Ready to dive in? Sign up for the $14.99 monthly subscription and you’re good to go. HBO releases its new streaming service just in time for the season premieres of Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley, and Veep.
[Via Apple] Continue reading Apple Watch preorders going live: here’s what you need to know