Category Archives: Video

This singing machine alleviates our inevitable A.I.-run future

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Artistic takes on artificial intelligence, such as Alex Garland’s excellent sci-fi film Ex Machina and AMC’s new synth series Humans, provide a glimpse into our not-so-distant future. A future where humans and robots co-exist and it is hard to tell where the “natural” line breaks. What you see here, an art installation by German creative technologist Martin Backes, is a primitive stab at the future of AI. And yet, this fully automated machine which endlessly sings classic ballads from the ’90s, manages to mimic real human emotion. Hit play and close your eyes; if you weren’t told this was machine belting out Whitney Houston and Celine Dion tunes, you might just think it was coming from a muffled human singer. It’s kind of frightening to think about, sure, but I also find the sound soothing.

“As the computer program performs these emotionally loaded songs, it attempts to apply the appropriate human sentiments,” Backes says on his website. “This behavior of the device seems to reflect a desire, on the part of the machine, to become sophisticated enough to have its very own personality.”

Behind the scenes, Backes has a paired a computer with SuperCollider, a programming language used by musicians, scientists, and artists working with sound. The minimalist execution impresses: the screen, the stand, the mic, and the captivating graphical interface supplanting human eyes with lyrics and a mouth constructed of a fluctuating white bar matching note inflections.

Whether you know it or not, you’ve likely already accepted primitive AIs into your life. Siri and Cortana and Google Now are all proactive assistants on your phone that communicate with you and learn your preferences and habits. Imagine Siri going off and starting a band; Backes’ creation is just that. Can you imagine a future where Taylor Swift is competing against a machine for a Grammy? It’s strange, but I can.

Steve Jobs documentary examines the multifaceted trendsetter

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“Bold. Brilliant. Brutal.” That’s the tagline for Alex Gibney’s documentary focusing on Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Gibney, who directed the critically-acclaimed HBO scientology doc Going Clear, picks away at Jobs’ sheen he accumulated over the years as he helped build Apple into a major technological innovating machine. By the end of the trailer you get a sense that Gibney aims to shine a light on the good, the bad, and the ugly surrounding Jobs’ rise to iconic status and yes, emotions run high. Apple exec Eddy Cue publicly denounced the film calling it “an inaccurate and mean-spirited view of my friend.”

Apple fanboys and fangirls will get their opportunity to conjure an opinion about Gibney’s doc when Steve Jobs: The Man In The Machine hits theatres and digital platforms (including iTunes and On Demand) September 4.

“This is a story that’s amazing,” Jobs exclaims in the trailer. “Its got theft, stolen property, extortion, there’s sex in there. Somebody should make a movie out of this!” It’s already been done…and then there’s this doc…and coming this fall is another movie based on his life. Steve, whether or not you stand by them up there in the clouds, movies are being made about you and your wish is coming true.

Christoph Waltz steps out of the shadows in latest ‘SPECTRE’ sneak

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The first full-length trailer for Bond 24 aka SPECTRE has arrived. Sam Mendes directs Daniel Craig as the actor suits up to portray the British Secret Service agent 007 for the fourth time. All of the major players get some screen in this extended look at the action-packed movie, even Bond’s new getaway vehicle, the Astin Martin DB10. Christoph Waltz’ Hannes Oberhauser remains shrouded in mystery, but at least we get a better look at him here than before. “You came across me so many times and yet you never saw me. What took you so long?” And then: “It was me, James. The author of all your pain.” Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) has perfected playing sinister. The official film synopsis follows:

A cryptic message from the past sends James Bond on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome, where he meets Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci), the beautiful and forbidden widow of an infamous criminal. Bond infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of the sinister organisation known as SPECTRE.

Meanwhile back in London, Max Denbigh (Andrew Scott), the new head of the Centre for National Security, questions Bond’s actions and challenges the relevance of MI6, led by M (Ralph Fiennes). Bond covertly enlists Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) to help him seek out Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), the daughter of his old nemesis Mr White (Jesper Christensen), who may hold the clue to untangling the web of SPECTRE. As the daughter of an assassin, she understands Bond in a way most others cannot.

As Bond ventures towards the heart of SPECTRE, he learns of a chilling connection between himself and the enemy he seeks, played by Christoph Waltz.

SPECTRE hits theatres November 6.

‘Wet Hot American Summer’ featurette takes you back to the summer of ’81

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We’re only four days away from the launch of the Wet Hot American Summer revival on Netflix! To celebrate this momentous occasion, travel back in time to 1981 in this nearly three-and-a-half minute Wet Hot featurette. In it you’ll go behind-the-scenes and witness the sheer excitement taking place during the first day of shooting when the entire cast from the 2001 cult comedy reunited for the 8-episode streaming series. Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks and all the rest return to play younger versions of themselves since the new Wet Hot takes place during the first day of camp at Camp Firewood (the movie took place on the last day of camp). You’ll hear from the returning cast, as well as some of the newbies including John Slattery (Mad Men), Chris Pine (Star Trek), Jason Schwartzman (Bored to Death), Jordan Peele (Key and Peele), and Lake Bell (Childrens Hospital).

“Working on this just feels like when we shot Wet Hot—it’s really cold, we’re moving really fast and, you know, everybody’s having sex with each other,” says Poehler.

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp is out this Friday, July 31. Watch the official trailer here.

Disclosure & Sam Smith drop new collab “Omen”

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Disclosure and Sam Smith are back with their second major collaboration. The followup to “Latch” is “Omen” and it features the rising crooner on top of moody Lawrence brothers beat. “Omen” is the second single off Disclosure’s imminent sophomore effort, Caracal. The steamy music video, featuring Smith in a Mexico City club, is the second of a four-part series directed by Ryan Hope. Last month, when Disclosure dropped “Holding On,” part one of the series, they laid out Caracal‘s initial rollout via Twitter:

“We wanted to create something very different with our music videos this time around…something unique that would connect all the songs from the album and the videos in a special way. This is the first of a series of four amazing videos directed by Ryan Hope that come together to create a short film… ‘CARACAL.’ As each music video comes out… The plot unfolds. Hope you enjoy!”

If you’re interested in following the trials and tribulations of Mariela, a rebel caught up in a heavily surveilled dystopian future, watch the video for “Holding On” first (featuring vocals from Gregory Porter) and then mash play on “Omen.” The synth-pop house duo will likely release the final two installments prior to Caracal‘s launch on September 25. Preorder Caracal today, and stream “Omen” on Spotify.

What do you think of the new Disclosure x Sam Smith collab? Think it’ll take over the radio waves like “Latch” did last year? When Disclosure released that Settle single in 2012, it took about two years for it to explode onto scene in the US. At the time, Smith hadn’t even released his solo debut In the Lonely Hour. Now, Disclosure is more of household name here in the States, and Smith has piled on the accolades since his first album dropped. In summation, “Omen” is destined to reach the top of the charts.

Pixar forgoes dialogue to set the mood in its next adventure ‘The Good Dinosaur’

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Disney and Pixar pick up right where they left off in this first official trailer for the upcoming animated pic The Good Dinosaur. The June teaser ended with a heartwarming glimpse at a green dinosaur and his pet human (more on that in a second), and the new trailer comes to life with an elevated sense of discovery, trepidation, and adventure.

The Good Dinosaur asks this question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? The film follows an Apatosaurus named Arlo and Spot the cave-boy. Director Peter Sohn, a Pixar Story Artist who previously worked on films such as Finding Nemo and Up!, describes Dino as a boy-and-his-dog story, except here the roles are reversed. “Arlo himself is what we would have become, able to articulate and have certain emotions and connection to family,” says Sohn. [The dinosaurs have] become us, essentially… I’m trying to treat Spot in a very kind of animalistic way, where he doesn’t speak very much. He’s very feral.”

You’ll notice the trailer barely includes any dialogue, besides a few grunts and growls. Featured prominently is the song “Crystals” by Of Monsters and Men, a sweet tune that succinctly sets the mood for Pixar’s latest adventure. I say, who needs dialogue in a trailer that so magically brings to life an alternate reality ruled by dinosaurs; the animation here is incredibly life-like at times and pushes CGI to new limits. What say you?

The Good Dinosaur hits theatres November 25.

ABC releases extended look at this fall’s ‘The Muppets’

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Excited for The Muppets to make their triumphant return to television? Today ABC released an extended sneak peek at this fall’s upcoming comedy starring your favorite furry puppets Kermit, Gonzo, Miss Piggy and the rest. It’s highly atypical for a network to leak a “first look presentation” to the public–it’s what the creators of a show put together to convince a network to pick up their project to series. Due to popular demand, and after screening it to audiences at San Diego Comic Con, ABC decided to let Bill Prady and Bob Kushell’s Muppets pitch loose to boost anticipation and awareness surrounding the sitcom.

The nearly 11-minute clip is essentially an extension of the original Muppets trailer ABC outed during the Upfronts. In it, Kermit rounds up the troops in a production office to announce that ABC wants to put on a primetime Muppets show; yes, it’s very meta. The pitch utilizes the mockumentary style camerawork found in many successful sitcoms today, including Modern Family; Gonzo calls it “so gimmicky” and yet I can’t hold back laughter. The crux of the drama involves Kermit trying to get Miss Piggy out of the movie biz (where she’s dating That 70s Show star Topher Grace) and onto the set of the new ABC series. She’s dismissive at first likely due to the fact that Kermit has moved on, too, and fell for another pig named Denise. Elsewhere, Fozzie the Bear is dating a human girl and her parents are concerned.

Whether or not any of this actually makes it into the pilot to air this fall, it’s a must-see for Muppets fans and all those who are eagerly looking forward to “a more adult Muppets show” in primetime.

Microsoft launches Windows 10 marketing campaign with the world’s cutest babies

Technology, Video, , ,

It’s easy to breeze past commercials when you’re watching TV. I’ve got a TiVo at home and it’s a rare thing these days to catch me ever sitting through an ad when I can simply sift through it with the click of button. Boy am I glad I didn’t miss out on this one.

With the release of Windows 10 just about a week away, Microsoft is launching its marketing campaign to push its first-year-free fresh OS unto the world. With taglines like, “The future starts now” and “A more human way to do,” MSFT is building a brand that highlights Win10’s new feature set and its focus on user accessibility.

The spot stars a number of the world’s cutest babies from all walks of life. “Imagine, these kids won’t have to remember passwords, or obsess about security. For them, every screen is meant to be touched,” says the voiceover. Essentially, Microsoft is saying that Windows 10 will transform the way we interact with our PCs today and it’s future-proof for the kids of tomorrow. ALSO HOW CUTE IS THAT WINDOW BABY!?

With Windows Hello, remembering login passwords is a thing of the past; built-in webcams will scan your smiley face and you’re in. Internet Explorer’s more secure and leaner successor Microsoft Edge allows you to draw directly on web pages and share with others. Cortana, Windows Phone’s personal assistant, is coming to the desktop and she’s there to answer your questions and learn your preferences. And course, the company’s pushing familiarity here. Gone is the “Metro” Live Tile interface; the classic desktop from Windows 7 is back with a modernized touch–helpful Live Tiles now live inside the Start Menu.

Windows 10 begins its rollout on July 29, starting with Windows Insiders (those that beta-tested the OS) and then getting to reservations. If you’re a Windows 7 or 8.1 user, Win10 is offered to you as a free upgrade for the first year of its existence. To learn how to reserve a copy, click here.

[Via Microsoft]

Comic Con: ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ brings together entire main cast & the fans get a concert (Behind-the-scenes video inside)

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It’s a funny thing, really. Though little was divulged in terms of new announcements at the Star Wars panel at San Diego Comic Con 2015, it turned out to be the most amazing Con experience and one I will never forget.

A packed Hall H chants “Let’s go Star Wars!” and claps as if we were at a sporting event. Only at Comic Con, am I right? In time, moderator Chris Hardwick (the Talking Dead host and Nerdist leader was everywhere this year!) came out to introduce producer Kathleen Kennedy of Lucasfilm, director J.J. Abrams, and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan. Abrams talked up Episode VII‘s reliance on practical effects over CGI, and he made a point by bringing out a new character named Bobba Joe. The creature, operated magically by five people, managed to walk across the stage twice without falling over or bumping into anything. The oversized puppet really impressed the audience with its finesse. Abrams says to expect many characters like this in the film.

“We aren’t ready to show you scenes from the movie or a new trailer, but we wanted to bring something that was as unique and unexpected as we could,” Abrams told the crowd. The behind-the-scenes reel shown to panel attendees brought tears to many eyes–it encapsulates the sheer force of the Star Wars franchise and does a great job of sharing the level of detail and blood, sweat, and tears that Abrams and co. are putting into this thing. Also, Simon Pegg pops up in a surprise cameo! You can watch nearly 4-minute clip after the break.

The cast came out next. Our three heroes John Boyega (Finn), Daisy Ridley (Rey), and Oscar Isaacs (Poe Dameron) and then the villains Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux), and Gwendolyn Christie (Captain Phasma) and then the legacy players Carrie Fisher (Leia Organa), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), and Harrison Ford (Han Solo). And yes, the crowd went more than wild at the sight of all this talent, especially when Mr. Ford entered the scene. He received the biggest standing ovation by a mile. Gleeson accidentally leaked the name of the villains’ base: Starkiller Base. Beyond that, nothing new was announced here. A handful of first-looks at practical effects characters were displayed, and you can see those in the gallery.

Just as the panel felt like it was wrapping up, Abrams said this: “Who wants to go see a live Star Wars concert right now? We only have room for all of you. We are literally all going to walk to a location together and experience a Star Wars concert tonight.” It’s hard to describe the rush I felt along with everyone else there. It was like a wave of excitement crashed into the crowd and all of sudden we were all high on life all at once. And with that, the entire Hall H–over 6,000 people–proceeded to collect their belongings and follow a procession of Stormtroopers to the Embarcadero Marina Park South where the San Diego Symphony was waiting to perform selections from the iconic Star Wars score. The walk took about 45 minutes or so, but that wasn’t a problem for anyone. With our exclusive lanyards we walked proudly behind the convention center and slowly made our way to the secret venue on the water. Once everyone was situated with free colored lightsabers, Abrams and the entire cast came out again to introduce the symphony. Composer John Williams wasn’t on hand, unfortunately, but he did pre-record a message wishing the fans a good time and “May the force be with you.” The sun set, the music played beautifully against a backdrop consisting of classic scenes spanning all six films, and just when we all thought it couldn’t get any better, fireworks exploded in the sky just as the Star Wars main theme kicked in at the end of the concert. A rainbow of lightsabers showered the symphony with love.

This was truly a shared experience to cherish for a lifetime.

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Comic Con: ‘The Walking Dead’ & ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ land premiere dates (Epic trailers inside)

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The following post contains spoilers for The Walking Dead season 5.

The Walking Dead never fails to impress in San Diego every summer since creator Robert Kirkman and company always share the next season’s jam-packed trailer. The season 6 trailer, hanging after the break, previews the power struggle going on in the not-so-safe-zone known as Alexandria. With Lennie James’ Morgan in the mix, Rick Grimes has someone else to contend with. However, EP Scott M. Gimple states, “Things might not be as they seem…We sometimes play with the truth in trailers.” Interpret that as you will.

What else? After saying that there will be some “flashbackery” and time jumps coming soon, he later corrected himself and said, “A whole lot of flashbacks” are on the way; in fact, an entire episode will be a flashback. The Wolves are coming, as hinted across episodes in season 5; they will factor into the next season in “a way you might not expect,” teased Gimple. Casting announcements were made as well; Corey Hawkins is Heath from the comics, Nurse Jackie‘s Merritt Wever is also playing somebody from the comics, and Ethan Embry is featured in the new trailer.

In addition to Gimple, EPs Gale Anne Hurd, Dave Alpert, and Greg Nicotero were on the panel along with stars Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Danai Gurira, Michael Cudlitz, Melissa McBride, Lennie James, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Norman Reedus.

What was it like being there? Well… McBride walked onto the stage with a tray of freshly baked cookies (hello, Scare-ol!). Reedus disclosed the three things he needs to get into character as Daryl Dixon: Motörhead, coffee, and Candy Crush (he’s a level 275 and proud of it!). Cudlitz said of his character, “Abraham’s defining moment hasn’t come yet.” Boom. Do you miss Rick’s beard? So does he? Gimple says his facial hair will continue to serve as a barometer of where his head is at; so, if the proverbial shit continues to hit the fan, expect that beard to be meaner than ever. Kirkman and Lauren Cohan couldn’t make the panel so everyone on the panel wore shirts with the creator’s big head on it and Cohan texted Nicotero for Yeun to read a love note to the fans (it was very sweet and then very funny). Also, an entertaining season 5 blooper reel was shown; unfortunately it wasn’t made available online so you’ll have to nab the DVD to see it.

The Walking Dead premieres its sixth season on Sunday, October 11 at 9pm on AMC. The super-sized 90-minute episode, directed by Greg Nicotero, will be followed by a new installment of Talking Dead hosted by Chris Hardwick. It was also announced that the premiere will screen for fans at Madison Square Garden; details here. Jump into the gallery below to see pictures from the panel as well as first looks at newly decomposed walkers designed, of course, by Mr. Nicotero.

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Jump after the break for scoop on companion series Fear the Walking Dead. Continue reading Comic Con: ‘The Walking Dead’ & ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ land premiere dates (Epic trailers inside) →

Comic Con: You Know Who was not resurrected at the ‘Game of Thrones’ panel, and other highlights (Audition reel inside)

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This post contains spoilers for Game of Thrones season 5.

Game of Thrones has finally caught up to the books. What did that mean for its panel at Comic Con 2015? Author George R.R. Martin was a no-show because he’s shackling himself to his typewriter to complete the next book in the Ice and Fire saga. Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss also were not present. So who did show up? Director David Nutter, EP Carolyn Strauss, and stars Carice van Houten, Natalie Dormer, Sophie Turner, Alfie Allen, Hannah Murray, John Bradley, Maisie Williams, Conleth Hill, Liam Cunningham, and Gwendoline Christie.

Since Martin, Benioff, and Weiss are keeping season 6 plot details to themselves for now, the cast has absolutely no idea what’s coming next for them. The most tantalizing tidbit? Nutter, who directed the season 5 finale where beloved character Jon Snow is murdered, confirmed the death of the fan-favorite with an entertaining story. Apparently President Obama directly asked Nutter if Snow was really dead, and Nutter replied, “John Snow is deader than dead.” So there you have it. Also dead is Stannis Baratheon; although viewers weren’t privy to Brienne’s Oathkeeper chopping off the True King’s head, Nutter confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that “from the very beginning, and [through] the script process, that was the intent–he’s dead.”

Since there was no fresh intel to share with the crowd, how did they keep us entertained? Well for one thing, the infinitely adorable Maisie Williams shouted out an “Oysters, clams, and cockles” for the crowd when a girl dressed as Arya Stark holding a basket of foodstuffs approached the mic. And John Bradley, who plays Sam, shared this gem: “Before Gilly, Sam thought of sex as most people thought of space.” Moderator Seth Meyers went on to screen an audition reel showing early versions of many Thrones characters including Brienne and Ygritte; watch it after the break. Below, images from the panel; see if you can spot the Sons of the Harpy cosplayer sitting conspicuously close to the fan questioner.

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Comic Con: The Fannibals celebrate ‘Hannibal’ as Bryan Fuller continues the search for a new home (Red Dragon preview inside)

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You already know my thoughts on Hannibal, so it was pretty much a sure thing that I found myself inside Ballroom 20 when Bryan Fuller, Marta De Laurentiis, Hugh Dancy, and Richard Armitage came on to celebrate the outgoing NBC drama at Comic Con.

The Fannibals came out in strong numbers with an incredible amount of love and passion at the Hannibal, um, pannibal. Prior to kick-off, fans were handing out “Fannibals Forever” posters to hold up in support of the recently axed show. Fans booed in unison when the moderator mentioned the cancellation, but Fuller was quick to thank NBC for allow him and his creative team to carry out Hannibal for as long as they did. “Hey, NBC let us do some crazy shit for three years, they deserve our applause,” Fuller said and as if a spell was put upon them the crowd’s boos turned into celebratory cheers.

Fuller shared the unfortunate news that both Netflix and Amazon passed on saving the series. Netflix because the show already has a streaming deal with Amazon (to air its back catalog of episodes) and Amazon because it demanded Fuller pump out scripts with immediacy and due to his busy schedule it made such a thing impossible (Fuller is working on Starz’ adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Americans Gods). Even still, Fuller tells fans the story is not over yet; “we are still looking” for a new home for Hannibal he reassured the crowd. And if a fourth season simply isn’t in the cards, he hinted at “the possibility of a feature.” Stars Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen are committed to continuing the series in any form, so transitioning Hannibal back to the big screen is an option on the table.

The panel itself was such a joy and the fans are to thank for that. Fuller embraced the Fannibals with open arms, and they reciprocated by offering the panel ornate flower crowns (symbolizing the series’ passionate fanbase) and one audience member even gifted Fuller with a scarf to match his favorite suit! It was an all-around love affair and as an avid Hannibal Fannibal myself I will say it was so much fun to be apart of.

Opening and closing the panel was an extended sneak peek at the upcoming Red Dragon story arc starring Armitage as Francis Dolarhyde aka The Tooth Fairy aka The Red Dragon. The five-minute clip, embedded after the break for your viewing pleasure, reveals his full-body tattoo and goes on to preview Zachary Quinto’s guest spot in Bedelia’s storyline. Fuller explained: Francis Dolarhyde is a Hannibal that Will wants to save and Francis Dolarhyde is a Will that Hannibal wants to corrupt. Ah! Also, Fuller says the Dolarhyde rape scenes from the Thomas Harris novel will not be adapted for television; he finds such scenes to be “cheapening.”

Other tidbits: A three-year time jump is about to take place. Will goes on a domestic retreat and even elopes, but happy times, obviously, won’t last long. Music from Siouxsie and The Banshees will be featured in the season 3 finale, and Fuller promises James Bond-level epicness from that score. A couple quotables: Fuller “loves emotional plotting as opposed to plot-plotting” and “the music is psychological, not melodic.”

Days after the panel, NBC relocated Hannibal to Saturdays at 10. Look in the gallery below for fun stills from the panel!

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