Cool Shit 1/21

Hey! There was a State of the Union last night. Read the transcript here. 

I guess the moral of this story is not to buy foreign honey? Also, anyone know how I can get into honey laundering?

If you watch World War Z with no knowledge of (or possibly ignoring) the source material, it's a decent tense zombie movie. I still think the book could have been made into a movie, but others, with more money than I, disagreed. And now we're here at the crossroads of a sequel. I have no hope that it will be the book, in fact I almost hope it won't be...but it seems as though it's going to start with a "clean slate," whatever that means.

More stuff for fans of Serial: a new television show based on Vanity Fair crime writing, Vanity Fair Confidential. Hope you have the Investigation Discovery Channel!

I know this skiing video is long, but it's worth it just for him going through the tunnel and than launching himself off the ski lift platform.



Another cut Saturday Night Live sketch. I like to think it was cut for the last 30 seconds, and not the first 3 and a half minutes, because that's where all the comedy was, right groove cats?



Heartbroken Bjork? I want to listen because it's Bjork, but then I'm a little nervous since that's a concept that is extremely frightening.

Tremors is a great movie. It's still great. And here are some facts about it, with news that there will be yet another sequel, starring the precocious Michael Gross.

Are these photos proof that aliens exist and are visiting our planet? Define "proof" for me and I'll get back to you.

Cool Shit 6/20

Sure, it seems like there's been a bunch of Superman movies made, but there have been many more almost made. If you're a Superman fan you will both enjoy and cringe at what almost happened, and if you're not you'll still shake your head in bewilderment at the ideas that drive Hollywood.

It saddens me that the United States can't get its act together enough to hold its own National Pyrotechnic Festival. Thankfully, our neighbor Mexico doesn't hold the same opinion. Check out these photos to see just how much fun we're missing. Here's but a taste...

I'm not one of those people that preach you should stop eating fast food and other gross stuff because you're doing damage to your body, but I do think you should at least know what you're putting into your body. And in the US, sometimes that can he harder than it seems. Take a look at these awesome ingredients that have been banned elsewhere, but are in food in the United States.

The roller coaster ride of the production of World War Z is about to come to an end; unfortunately it seems like it won't be the fun loop de loop we want it to be, if we are to believe this review.

I think I'd like to do what Rick Rubin does. Is there a website, or someone I have to talk to, for that?

And finally, RIP James Gandolfini, a great actor who died yesterday apparently of a heart attack. A lot of people (rightfully so) point to his work in The Sopranos as a career defining performance, but I will always remember him for this one part in True Romance, this look he has after hitting Patricia Arquette, that summed up his character and actions all at once. It's a look of disgust, rage and atonement (looking up, as if to ask God for forgiveness for his actions) and says all you need to know. I wish more actors had this kind of talent.

Cool Shit 5/22

Private space travel is about to begin. And that's just the beginning. Of the beginning of space travel.

So this happened yesterday. A twitter "fight" between Marc Maron and Michael Ian Black. While MIB took the first shot (it's not clear if it was a simple joke or something more pointed, since it's Twitter and all) I still think he handled himself funnier than Maron. Maron seemed to be defensive and run out of steam there. And I can't believe I've just analyzed what boils down to two people yelling at each other.

Arrested Development Week continues here at the Popcorn Trick. First, Jeffery Tambor discusses the show. Then we have Michael Cera adding his two cents. And finally, let's hear what Jessica Walters has to say about everything.

I understand the desire to want to know what we put in our bodies, but I don't understand the outrage over horse meat, or any type of meat for that matter. Aside from taste, I don't think there's a way to rank animal meats when it comes to food.

Here's the Vanity Fair World War Z article everyone is/was talking about. I still hold out hope for this since I have A. recently successfully divorced the movie from the book in my head; and B. can't resist a zombie movie. Just because it isn't the book doesn't mean it won't work.

I assume I'll be eating crow in a few weeks.

New trailer for Man of Steel. I offer this because I had no idea Lawrence Fishburne was in this movie...and now this gives me a chance to tell you to watch Hannibal if you aren't already.

Cool Shit 4/16

I am generally not much of an emotional person. No excuses, it's just the way I am. But one thing that will get me every time is the standard trope of the unordinary acting extraordinary. As in, the story from yesterday that marathoners, upon finishing a race of 26 miles, a grueling test of endurance in which it is not uncommon for your nipples to bleed or for you to defecate as you run, went to hospitals to see if they could donate blood. Or the story of this man, who was at the race to honor his two deceased sons, and found himself administering triage to victims with blown off limbs.

Those are the stories that will always get me.

And will always remind me no matter what evils there are, good can and will triumph.



A quick summary of interesting things that happened at Coachella this past weekend (a huge outdoor concert in San Francisco). Sad to hear about the Violent Femmes appearance.

A good old fashioned murder mystery, from one of today's premiere non-fiction writers.

Is there too much good television on right now - and will that ultimately hurt it?

There are a roughly a billion awesome things in this story about Kobe Bryant trying to become a rapper. I'll let you discover them on your own.

Sounds like if you can get over the fact that the movie will have nothing to do with the book, World War Z could be enjoyable.

Cool Shit 3/25

If you're a movie buff and haven't yet seen Hearts of Darkness, I suggest you do so right now.

A look into what makes Shane Carruth tick, the creator of Primer and the new movie Upstream Color.

First hand accounts of having famous authors as professors.

Man, first Q*bert, and now Missile Command. I gotta get to an arcade!

Ugh. I love zombies, and I'm sure I will see this, but seriously - what have they done to World War Z?

Max Brooks - Author of World War Z

Author Max Brooks, was interviewed over at the A.V. Club. Surprising thing I learned? He's the son of Mel Brooks!

Seriously though, if you haven't read World War Z, I can't recommend it enough.

Links of Interest... 3/28

If you haven't read the book World War Z, I recommend you do so, because no matter what you think going in, you'll be surprised. Obviously, news of it becoming a movie shouldn't be surprising, but from the looks of this article, it has a chance to actually be decent. We can hope.

Apparently the 70s were a lot more liberal when it came to racial humor. This clip of Rickles at Sammy Davis Jr.'s Roast is beautiful for a number of reasons...Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.'s reactions...How Rickles effortlessly insults Puerto Ricans...Chamberlin possibly not getting the jokes...just watch and enjoy.

Best news I've heard today: Billy Dee Williams coming back to commercials! Ok, so it isn't the greatest, but I blame the agency and the stupid dealership for that. Besides, the news led me to some of BDW's better work including this, which then led me to this, which ultimately led me to this, which doesn't even include Billy D., but does have a woman shooting lasers that make Colt .45 appear.