I bring you Minecraft Girlfriend. This is the story of one man’s descent into madness through Minecraft penis sculptures. I actually wrote the script for this one and it was produced by my friends at Megasteakman. I was really amazed with the ability of the actors and director to take such weird and goofy material and then maintain a sense of drama. This video was in part a response to the new Minecraft 1.0 release, although overshadowed by Skyrim and Skyward Sword (mostly Skyrim since even the new and amazing Zelda game barely made tremors in the Skyrim-dominated gamersphere). But again I’m blown away with the cinematic treatment given to a video about making giant penises in Minecraft. It looks and feels like a short film that would screen at a festival, but it’s about penises. It drips a love for cinema that is evident in everything from acting, cinematography, and the platoon references as the lead character watches his creations’ ultimate fate.

Tonight I’m Frakking you! A nerd-culture dance music video featuring actual celebrity TV and youtube talent! I feel videos like this add credibility to the microbudget video movement. It’s really cool when a bunch of hungry slumdogs pick up the camera and make a video to share with the internet for lulz and profit, but it’s also cool to see established actors and professionals joining the ranks of the internet viral videographers. What I found really brilliant was that this is the first instance I’ve seen in any media of the elusive Jedi Vulcan. The battle between Star Wars and Star Trek has been waged for an eternity. It strikes me as odd that people haven’t taken into consideration the possibilities created by combining both franchises. Imagine a force nerve pinch. Or a phaser saber, like a light saber but with an infinitely long blade and the ability to destabilize anything it touches. A mind trick combined with a mind meld is no longer a mere trick but a whole mind theater. What would happen if the Borg assimilated Sith into the collective? Phaser immunity and force lighting? That moment in the video where the cloaked hero at the dance party removes his hood set my mind free from the rigid structure of Star Wars v. Star Trek

It’s the future and now we finally have the appropriate footware. Nike is releasing a line of running shoes inspired by the futuristic running shoes that Marty McFly uses in Back to the Future part 2. It’s not quite the hoverboard we were all waiting for, but rumor has it that it has power laces – laces that tighten themselves – in addition to all the blinking lights.

Good to see that we’re finally living in the future and that all those problems of the past have been settled. Libyans? We’ll never have to hear about them anymore. Power crisis? Thing of the past what with the cold fusion using garbage fuel and all. I think Nike just trolls us every ten years or so by dropping some weird novelty shoe on us and then laughing as we buy it and as kids in the 3rd world labor away to make them. I couldn’t afford the Nike pump shoes back in the 90′s, but if I could have then I should have bought a pair and kept it behind glass as a historical example of the stuff people will buy. Whereas kids thought the pumps were cool for awhile (note that I have never seen any of them actually pump their shoes before exercise – actually using the pump ability would have just been ridiculous) I can’t imagine the Marty McFly shoes being popular amongst anyone but nostalgic 80′s hipsters. That being said the only logical explanation is that it’s all just a joke. I can appreciate Nike’s humor, but the joke comes with the stinging reminder of all the great fantasies that failed to materialize in our future of today. Well, I guess one of the 80′s era fantasies about the post-2000 age came true:

http://www.mojowijo.com/

My question about the teledildonics hardware and software is that if you stick the dildo into the fleshlight ring can you get them to stimulate each other such that the AI will have sex with itself? Will it become self-aware?

Snyder’s latest stab at Superman has some pretty interesting casting choices. Amy Adams has been announced as the latest incarnation of Lois Lane, Superman’s love interest, known as a woman with a fierce passion for journalism, the guy in the cape, and her own career.

If you take a peek at ComicVine, Lois Lane is a brunette with a hunch for a story, in many case, Pulitzer-prize winning stuff. She is also married to Clark Kent, who happens to be Superman. The married part is very much belonging to the comic world Superman universe, rather than the cinematographic one.

Last attempt at making the Superman franchise revival, resulted in a flop and a giant disappointment for the fans of the Christopher Reeves film version of the comic. The reason? Mainly lack of originality.

But attachment of Snyder, who is currently punching competition at the box offices with his Sucker Punch, seems promising. That is, of course, unless he avoids remaking the Superman films shot for shot, which was more or less the annoying bit about Singer’s Superman Returns.

***THIS JUST IN***  Kial’s team won the top prize of the contest.

This is my buddy Kial’s entry into Virgin Radio’s 60 second film contest. The point is to take a popular movie and make a one-minute version of it. In this case he chose to re-make Scott Pilgrim Vs the World. Kial, his cast, and crew did a flawless job of emulating the original. They did such a good job that the team received props from Edgar Wright, the director of the actual Scott Pilgrim Vs The World movie:

http://www.edgarwrighthere.com/2011/01/23/scott-pilgrim-vs-60-seconds/

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about Kial Natale and his Vancouver-based video team – a few months ago they released a fake live-action Pokemon movie trailer that initially had the internet up in arms because Pokemon fans believed that the trailer was for an actual studio-backed movie as opposed to a microbudget fan trailer. It seems the team’s high standards for cinema and contemporary internet generation sensibilities have created a force that blurs the line between professional independent movie making and YouTube-era geeky fandom perhaps heralding a “Movie Brats” generation for a online digital age.

Virgin Radios Fake Film Festival site:
http://vancouver.virginradio.ca/VideoChannel/FakeFilmFestival/View.aspx?PostID=35807

Also be sure to check out the Lord of the Rings and Saving Private Ryan entries, each notable for their own reasons.

Also search around through Kial (Megasteakman)’s YouTube profile for a behind-the-scenes looks at how his video was all done:

It’s been a good year for fan trailers. Fan trailers based on video games have been getting a lot of love in particular. Earlier we saw the online release of Mortal Kombat: Rebirth and Pokemon: Apokelypse. Tempered with tongue-in-cheek humor these microbudget productions feature a level of commitment and production value unlike the typical youtube video.
Roughly a quarter of the The Duke: Fate of Humanity consists of a girl stripping. This could be critically interpreted as a lack of content or structure, but in all honesty I wouldn’t expect anything less from a Duke Nukem movie. There’s a lot of ways you can go wrong with a Duke Nukem movie but this fan trailer delivers totally. Everything from the hardy, beefy actor used to portray a stoic badass like Nukem to the gun, babe, and action pumped world in which he resides. I’m ready to say that this was the best thing to happen to the Duke Nukem franchise on this side of the new millennium. The only thing better than this would be if someone had actually finished making Duke Nukem Forever — oh wait! They have! People were playing it at PAX. Everything’s coming up Duke. Assuming the game is finally released for people to buy and own, and that the newest Duke Nukem Forever demo wasn’t just part of the biggest vaporware troll in video game history, then this fan trailer would sit nicely with Duke Nukem’s triumphant return to the world of testosterone-dripping violent fantasy entertainment. I want to say it, I want to say it: Hail to the King, Baby.

Lately, film theaters have provided little in terms of solid sci-fi entertainment. But do not fret! With an up-and-coming mass hysteria regarding the 2012, supposed end of Mayan calendar, and inspiration for such intellectually stimulating productions, such as “2012″…wait, is it time to say NOT already?…and the sudden realization that yes, we still want science-fiction-action combos, there is a new parade of films heading our way.

I know, Tron will be amazing. Or at least it better be. But meanwhile, I introduce to you the unholy offspring of “District 9,” “War of the Worlds,” and money.

Let us begin:

The first hails straight from book of Independence Day fandom, and yes, you got it, War of the Worlds. Titled Skyline, it has that not-so-unique combination of CG with some more CG. In fact, looking at the trailer, you might be entirely blown away by the vast quantities of…you guessed it – CG:

(for those unable to view embedded video, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QSymCekdLk)

Directed by the Strause duo, Greg and Colin, responsible for such hits as The Nutty Professor and endless Nickleback videos (hrmph, there is no amount of throat clearing that will help that statement), I am struck with lowered expectations. I am sure that the premise of aliens in LA who mesmerize humans just to “suck them in” and take them to who-knows-where, will be so lackluster that we’ll collectively experience more rage than over war in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.

There are some saving graces – the screenplay is penned by Liam O’Donnell and Joshua Cordes. Cordes previously got behind some mass-market materials including: Avatar, The Day After Tomorrow, and 300. So, yes, expect the script to make little sense, but there will be big CG explosions of unexplained technologies.

The other saving grace is the casting of delightful Eric Balfour, whose presence is a surprise, and a welcome respite from the usual fair of protagonists.

The next in-betweener, is Battle: Los Angeles (do note, also set in LA). Directed by South African, Jonathan Liebesman, is kind of the very same film, except from military perspective. A Black-Hawk Down version of Skyline, if you may.

(for those unable to view embedded video, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-CRTqkDDf4)

Liebesman has made his mark with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, and then The Killing Room, so I expect a lot of scenes covered in meat.

The film does carry heavyweights, including Aaron Eckhart, and Michelle Rodriguez. And the trailer does show some flexing of dramatic skills amongst all that meat and bullets.

The last to complete this unholy trinity is Seres: Genesis. Directed by Angel Mario Huerta, who fathered El Cine Regio, will give you all that but at a smaller budget, in a story surrounding Owal Tec who investigates paranormal activities that are taking place around Mexico.

This South American twist has an inferior music score, but as trailer suggests, also offers a richer cinematographic experience. Its premise also, however, relies on extinction of humanity by some not-so-benevolent alien presence. Enjoy!

(for those unable to view embedded video, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsghoA0E0qM)

Tarek participated in the 48h video maker’s competition this year, and the video below speaks to the genious that is Kial & co.

Tarek also looks pretty in his were-trans-wig. Happy Halloween everybody!

full story link: http://www.hiscifi.com/story/tarek_halloween_48h_video
video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwqfQC1EIGk

Is it a real movie? Is it a trailer poised to become a movie in the same vein of Machete, Black Dynamite, and Mortal Kombat Rebirth? Only time will tell.

By Irma Arkus

In the interview with About.com, Joss Whedon is confirmed to be attached to The Avengers as a director, as well as what some of the casting choices are.

Mark Ruffalo is announced as Hulk, and Whedon successfully defends his choice. Ruffalo, he says, “visually from new place, and I wanted someone with the qualities that Mark has that was knocked around and still gets up… (when he looks at me from the screen) he’s not thinking about himself that’s me, that’s my guy.”

While that is a strangely worded statement, what Whedon is trying to say is that connecting to Ruffalo and identifying with his version of Hulk on screen comes easier then it had with Eric Bana.

This version of The Avengers will be produced by Marvel, and it will belong in the Marvel universe. Aside from Ruffalo, the film is going to feature Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlet Johannson as the Black Widow, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Don Cheadle as Rhodey, Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) as Hawkeye, and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man.

Watch the interview with Whedon HERE.

One of the more intriguing (at least visually so) films to pop up on the radar is Sucker Punch. Aimed for a 2011 release, this North American take on Lolicon twists the old Alice in Wonderland with…well, hot babes and modern weapons.

Directed by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen), Sucker Punch allows Snyder to do what he does best: combining fantasy and comics with heavy action.

The story sets on a different type of Alice: a girl with an evil stepfather is kept in a mental asylum. After a lobotomy, her escape is an internal, mental one. In her imagined, alternate reality, she plots her escape.

The story resonates the mental toils of some of our favorite TV characters: Sisko at DS9, who leads an alternate (and unexplained existence) as a black science fiction writer who ends up in a mental asylum; or Buffy (s6, e18), who hallucinates an alternate version of
illusion in which all her friends and enemies are product of a mental illness.

With names like Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung, Emily Browning, and Jena Malone kicking ass, the film promises to provide thrills with that extra streak of darkness.