Looking Forward 2012: Music

And now for your music update.  We've already had quite a few released in January, February, and March.  Many brilliant albums, mind you!  On top of the new Those Darlins album Screws Get Loose, here are a few notable ones coming soon.


Very soon

Mike Vass
December Well

Notes: There will be a limited release, so pre-order or get as fast as possible!

April 23
Jack White
Blunderbuss
Notes: This includes the duet with Ruby Amanfu (seen on The Sing-Off).

The Prescience of Better Off Ted

Like that clever use of the word "prescience"?  There were a multitude of reasons why Better Off Ted failed, and none of them were because it was less than brilliant.  It was genius, just like Phil and Lem.  Too genius?  And too critical of sociopolitics?  Recently, I've noticed that the show had been rather prescient in how they predicted the technological advances, based on then-current research and hypothetical situations, and the social climate in which we now live in today, two years after its demise.

Looking Forward 2012: Movies

I know I'm late on my usual business of examining interesting movies of the year.  So what all is coming up that would be interesting to those of a nerdy side?

Iron Sky

Already out in select theaters

Directed by Timo Vuorensola

Written by Johanna Sinisalo, Jarmo Psukala, and Michael Kalesniko

Iron Sky is the newest sci-fi comedy to hit the screens where Nazis who colonized the moon in 1945 return in 2018 to continue their purity cleanse.  Supposedly the film is fantastic, but the sci-fi comedy genre is very niche, so it might even be better than the 7.8 rating on imdb.

Flatland 2: Sphereland

May 1, 2012

Written and Directed by Dano Johnson

The sequel to Flatland arrives with Kristen Bell returning as Hex, Michael York as Spherius, and Tony Hale as King of Pointland.  Danny Pudi, Danica McKellar, and Kate Mulgrew join the cast for this mathematical adventure.

Pushing Daisies comic on hold...still

Page 1 colored, unlettered

I failed to mention that over a year ago, Bryan Fuller had once again reported on the Pushing Daisies comic.  He had mentioned that it would likely be a season 3 graphic novel with a multimedia experience, complete with cast songs (as previously reported here), but plans were stalled when the publisher Wildstorm was closed by its parent company DC Comics.  Fuller then expressed interest in attempting to get  third season by a cable company, specifically Starz.  I don't know if it may be soon.  It may depend on his involvement with The Addams Family remake if it gets picked up.  While expressing his hopes that we will get a wrap for the third season, Fuller posted the first two pages in black and white and another of the first page unlettered but colored.  Check out post-jump for the two lettered pages!

Movie of the Week: The Hunger Games

You've all heard of The Hunger Games, at least.  The hype is justifiable.  People of all ages are reading the trilogy because it is brilliant.  Its accurate portrayal of the psychological damages of killing and of war, its horror of pitting children against each other in "games" for the government's own entertainment as well as for keeping control of its remaining population, and its commentary on celebrity, loyalty, human nature, class, and history repeating itself come to light.  The moment the movie was announced, no fan could wait to see the films come to life.  And that day has come.  It fares well for fans who've read the book, but perhaps because they know more about the world and the characters than the screen actually portrays.

Lord of the Rings Drinking Game!

I find the only way to tolerate Sam and Frodo (if I don't fast forward through them) is to drink.  Now you don't have to watch LOTR alone!  It'll be enjoyable with friends!  Okay, you can still watch it alone and play this, but it probably won't be as fun, and I think people would worry about your addictions.  Click after the jump to see how to play!

Community Pogs

There's nothing better than fan art for Community.  We've seen the Community cast as X-Men, but we haven't seen their faces on pogs, until now.  Vulture provides a nice dated reference to the fad of the 1990s: pogs, complete with nearly every guest star, core cast member, and recurring character. Unfortunately Annie's Boobs, Asian Annie, and a few others are missing.  And the school motto "E Pluribus Anus" probably should be the slammer, rather than the one chosen. Read on to see the image!