We spoke with AdaPia d’Errico about the works of her sister, Camilla d’Errico. She showed Camilla’s latest creations including Tanpopo and Sky Pirates of Neo Terra, which is coming out as a Facebook game later this month. The game is set in the world of Neo Terra and is described as a “Mario Kart in the sky”.
Check out more of Camilla d’Errico’s work here
While strolling through the WonderCon floors, we noticed some interesting versions of the Star Wars R2D2 droid that were made of aluminum and carbon fiber. We spoke with Mantium Industries and discovered what they’re up to. A representative from Mantium Industries was kind enough to discuss their building process, customization, and future projects.
While most people will stop to ask about the robots, Mantium Industries also crafts cosplay gear like swords and costumes.
Check out Mantium Industries
WonderCon has wrapped. We’ve been out all weekend covering as much of the convention as we can. Stay tuned for the usual good stuff: interviews, panel news, and reviews.
UPDATE
Here is our growing list of coverage:
We all love the feeling of comic pages running through our hands. The scent of a fresh print is part of the experience that helps transport us to a different reality. Starting in June, Marvel will be adding more value to this experience by offering digital copy codes in its comics priced $3.99. Essentially, those who still love print will be able to continue to stack and shelve their favorite comics while immersing themselves in stories via iOS and Android devices. Fans will no longer have to worry about protecting their paper prints while on the move.
Although screen resolutions have advanced closer towards high definition, it will be interesting to experience digital versions of comics on the screen of the New iPad, which sports a 2048 × 1536 resolution screen. At 9.7 inches, Apple’s Retina Display will unquestionably provide an optimal reading experience that is free of jagged pixels.
source: Marvel
Redbox is showing its customers some love by offering a special 1-day promotion for a free rental Thursday, March 8, 2012. If you slept on Oscar nominees/winners like Moneyball and Midnight in Paris or snubbed picks like Drive, this would be a great time to schedule some time and rush to your local kiosk before someone else nabs that flick.
Just use the code THANKS2U
Be sure to check Redbox.com regularly for promotions in the future.
Source: redbox
Awhile back, Radiohead decided to do something different. They offered their album, In Rainbows, to fans for whatever price they deemed it worthy. The experiment was a hit. More recently, Louis C.K. decided to host his latest stand-up comedy special and offer it for $5 to fans. The download was DRM free. There was nothing to stop people from freely distributing it to friends afterwards or sharing it with anonymous users via BitTorrent or physical copies. The release was a financial hit and backed by proof presented by Louis C.K. himself. Today, Jim Gaffigan, announced his upcoming stand-up comedy special through his website.
The motives behind independent distribution are easily summed: cut out the middle man and engage fans with a very reasonable price and they’ll be more than willing to buy and make the release viral. Even better, if you tell fans part of the proceeds go towards a great cause, they’ll think of the offering as a bonus. That’s what Jim Gaffigan decided to do by donating $1 from every purchase to The Bob Woodruff Foundation.
Even though independent distribution is the only option for smaller names in the entertainment industry, I applaud Gaffigan and others before and after him for taking this risk and embracing the internet as a dominant distribution platform. It will be fun to see the finished form of this project, as Gaffigan will be self-producing most of the recording.
Jim Gaffigan has been in the comedy game for quite some time. If you’ve never heard his bit on Hot Pockets, you haven’t lived. What makes Gaffigan’s brand of humor even more accessible is that it’s generally family friendly. Using quirky observations and silly voices, this special is sure to be a laugh riot. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him twice and highly recommend you check him out if he’s in your area.
A poster for Zack Snyder’s Superman: Man of Steel has surfaced on the interwebs. Since this shot is a actually a picture of a picture, we don’t know for sure if this is official or intended to make its way on bus stops and other advertising locations.
We can’t extrapolate much info about the plot but do see what appears to be a robot in the background standing beside a man. The movie is scheduled to be hit theaters June 2013 and stars Henry Cavill, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, and Julia Ormond.
Earlier today, the official James Bond 007 site released a still of Daniel Craig reprising his role as James Bond in Skyfall. Holding his signature firearm, the Walther PPK, we see a very focused and scruffy Bond about to make a move. It’s hard to tell what’s going on here given the focal length and shallow depth of field.
Skyfall is the franchise’s 23 film and third starring Daniel Craig as James Bond. I wasn’t as impressed with Quantum of Solace as I was with Casino Royale, but I have high hopes for Skyfall. This latest in the series is directed by Sam Mendes, who’s last movie was 2009’s Away We Go. Although Mendes has kept busy with dramas, he is no stranger to action. If you recall, earlier in Mendes’ career, he directed the critically acclaimed “Road to Perdition” and “Jarhead”.
Catch Skyfall in theaters November 9, 2012
It turns out that Redbox understands movie lovers: if we don’t catch a film in theaters, we want to watch it as soon as possible when it comes out on DVD Blu-ray. Unfortunately, studios have yet to realize the evolving consumer/market is not the same it was years ago.
Earlier this year, Warner Brothers proposed a deal with Redbox that would impose a 56 day delay between retailer release and rental availability. Rather than agreeing to these terms in an exchange for discounted discs, Redbox has decided to take its ball and go home. As a result, Redbox will have to purchase titles from retailers at a bulk price. The first Warner Brothers title Redbox plans to make available after finding a new source is “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas“, which comes out February 7, 2012.
Come April, eyes will be on Universal Pictures as their deal with Redbox expires. Currently, Universal’s release window is 28 days and there is no word yet if that length will be doubled.
A few questions remain:
Will these rentals be the retail versions with all bonus features?
Will this added cost be transferred to customers?
Will availability of these new Warner Brothers discs be more limited than others?
Rather than fighting with content distributors like Redbox and Netflix, studios might be better off dropping windows. It’s no secret that consumers are cutting back. We can no longer afford to buy a title that may only be watched once after purchase. Sometimes we pass on watching a movie in the theaters because the reviews don’t justify the cost of a ticket and that rationale certainly wouldn’t change when the Blu-ray release is even more than a ticket. How about we just accept purchases are for hardcore collectors and rentals are for casual watchers and just release them both into the wild at same time?
UPDATE (2/8/2012): It looks like Redbox has pushed back the release 1 week to 2/14/2012. Source: redbox
Adele was one of the biggest music artists of 2011. Her album, 21, was one of the top selling album and tracks like “Someone Like You” continue to get heavy rotation on stations. One could also measure Adele’s success by the number of renditions found on YouTube (Yes. Connie Talbot has covered Adele songs).
If you’re wondering what fans are drawn to, you’ll have to listen to not just music, but her lyrics. Sure she’s got a great voice that’s soulful, but what people are really connecting with is the heartbreaking story she’s telling. Is it possible that Adele has made other songs that just didn’t align with the rest of 21’s theme? After all, she’s only human. We can’t assume sadness is the only emotion she feels. There must be balance and after the critical acclaim and sales figures she’s received, we’d hope that money can buy a ounce of happiness, even if its just temporary/superficial.
We don’t know if including these tracks would have hurt 21’s appeal but they certainly would have changed the album’s tone dramatically:
We all know that every hit track gets at least 3 club remixes that can turn even the biggest tear jerker into a booty shaker. But what if Adele had just released a track strictly for the clubs. It would obviously be produced by Redfoo and GoonRock (LMFAO) and feature Pitbull. Obligatory lines include mention of hanging out with he girlfriends (name dropping of course), guys trying to hit on her, her describing how unqualified the aforementioned individual(s) were, and getting tipsy from cocktails. Naturally her appearance would need to be a bit more colorful for the music video. If you’ve ever wondered what Adele might look like with green/purple highlights in her hair and a hoop nose ring, this video will present that version. The male figure in the video would have to anatomically flawless, kind of like the guys in the late 90’s Britney Spears videos. Kudos if she ends the video by splashing a drink in the guy’s face while winking at us. After all, Ke$ha isn’t the only girl that knows how to have fun in a club.
Although Adele is amazing at telling stories of heartache, she’s also 23. She’s only a few years past the awkward years of teen love described so well by the likes of Avril Lavigne and Michelle Branch. I wonder if Adele ever had moments when she was boy crazy for the older 17 year old that rolled to school in a muscle car his dad and him worked on. Do you think Adele ever contemplated keying her ex’s car, flattening tires, or getting with her ex’s best friend? What about all the complex emotions of trying to fit in with all her classmates? I bet a lot of kids told her to pursue a more conventional career path like dentistry or marketing. Remember, no teen angst video would be complete without Adele sitting on staircase, looking to the side with a highly contemplative face.
With great power comes great responsibility. Adele has garnered much spotlight and this would be a great time to use her voice to promote a great cause. Imagine her voice belting a sweet tune about the end of war or reminding fans to think about parts of the world where the daily struggle is not coping with an unpredictable love life, but simply surviving harsh conditions like the tyranny of a ruthless dictator.
Perhaps another topic Adele could touch on is how the selfish motives of mankind will one day lead to the world’s inevitable implosion. Has anyone ever made a song about the inhumane working conditions of an electronics components factory? Now is the time.
As a trailer addict, I couldn’t help but notice a new trailer for Friends With Kids. As a man in his early 30’s, the title hit close to home, so I decided to take a gander in hope for an appealing premise or great cast ensemble. Luckily, I scored 2 for 2.
The trailer begins with a dinner table scene among two couples discussing a third couple’s whereabouts. We see Maya Rudolph (Leslie), Chris O’Dowd (Alex), Adam Scott (Jason), and a relatively unknown Jennifer Westfeldt (Julie). Jon Hamm (Ben) and Kristen Wiig (Missy) then enter the room trying to cover up the obvious scandalous act that held them up. Next we see Jason and Julie talking about having a baby out of wedlock. In fact, they’re not even a couple. They’re just platonic friends. It’s like “Knocked Up” minus the accident factor. Later, the story introduces Edward Burns and Megan Fox, who appear to be love interests of Julie and Jason.
Curious about Jennifer Westfeldt, I decided to do some research and discovered some interesting facts about her. Her role in the Friends With Kids is actually quite significant. She stars, directed, and wrote it. She’s quite the triple threat! Just in case you weren’t jealous of her yet, she’s also Jon Hamm’s main squeeze.
It’s like someone decided everyone in Bridesmaids worked so well together, they had to do another movie and I’m totally okay with that. Sadly, Chris O’Dowd left behind his Irish accent. Since he isn’t playing a historical figure, I don’t agree with that decision but hopefully I’ll be proven wrong.
I was one of the last people to watch Bridesmaids but still found it to be a very enjoyable movie. Nope, none of the hype phased me. I just adore Kristin Wiig and LOVED Jon Hamm‘s bizarro Don Draper character, Ted.
Friends With Kids will be distributed by Lionsgate and is scheduled to arrive in theaters March 9, 2012.
February is going to a special month for Netflix. We’ll see the end of the dreadful standard definition Starz releases and the birth of its first original series, Lilyhammer.
The show stars the multi-talented Steven Van Zandt, aka Little Steven/Miami Steve, who is known for his guitar/mandolin work in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and his Sopranos character, Silvio Dante. As you might have guessed, Van Zandt reprises a wiseguy role as Frank Tagliano, a former gangster who moves to Norway and tries to make the best of his new life in a witness protection program.
The show is tagged Dark, Quirky, and Understated, which suggests a considerable gamble for Netflix to appeal to a less mainstream audience. Check out the trailer below. We see Van Zandt’s character, Frank Tagliano, in both three piece suits and Nordic sweaters. There’s also plenty of bleeps, a good sign for any fans who love gritty gangster dialog. And for those that doubt the show’s indie credibility, take a look at the credits and confirm names clearly native to Norway. Frank Tagliano’s role is genuinely fish-out-of-water both on and off camera.
Lilyhammer is poised to give great exposure to Norway, those in supporting roles, and mainly Steven Van Zandt, who is not only acting, but also a writer and executive producer of the show.
The trailer also happens to be the first video in Netflix’s YouTube channel.
Source: Netflix