While at San Diego Comic-Con, attendees are privy to many things — fancy costumes, the occasional celebrity sighting, exclusive movie previews, large crowds. Though many of us are happy to take home memories or small bits of free swag thrown our way, many SDCC goers dive for the more tangible things — Comic-Con exclusives.
This year the Disney Store is joining the party. Only at Comic-Con, in collaboration with Funko, they will be selling limited edition POP! Vinyl figurines — a fuzzy flocked Sully, a glow in the dark Mike Wazowski, …
Coheed and Cambria
With the Dear Hunter and Porcupine Tree
The Wiltern
August 12, 2010
As I have lamented in the past, it’s often disappointing to me how bad the sound quality is for the opening band on a major bill show. Though I am not too familiar with their music, what I’ve heard I like, and I was excited to go out and see the Dear Hunter, and I wanted to actually HEAR the Dear Hunter at their show. Such was not the case.
The band is amazingly talented, and their songs are beautiful …
No More Dirty Looks
Siobhan O’Connor & Alexandra Spunt
Da Capo Lifelong Books
10/10
Finally, finally, finally- the book I have been waiting for! I have been known amongst friends to dabble here and there in environmentalism and will give the occasional “Don’t use that, it’s bad for you” rant, but for the most part, I am all talk and not a lot of answers. Why? To be quite frank, it’s because more often than not, I am too lazy to do the research- especially when it comes to cosmetics. There’s a lot of …
I spent a good portion of my time at San Diego Comic-Con this year watching panels, as opposed to forlornly wandering the main convention hall (which, while fun, is difficult to navigate through the crowds). While I unfortunately (and kick myself or a bit for this) did not manage to get into the Harry Potter panel in the AM, I did scoop some pretty great preview panels. Here’s a rundown of what I caught:
Let Me In- Starring Kick-Ass’s Chloe Moretz, Let Me In is a remake of the Swedish film …
With San Diego Comic Con just around the bend, and numbers of attendees surely through the roof, as a first time comer you are surely excited, nervous, and probably slightly clueless as to how the whole thing works. SDCC is massive — far vaster in numbers of people and content than other comic or entertainment conventions-and stepping in the doors for the first time can be very intimidating. Here’s what you need to know.
1. First things first — Comic Con is no longer just for nerds. While your friends may …
Shrek Forever After
Dreamworks Animation
5 of 10
In theaters May 21, 2010
I tend to have an oversimplified taste in movies- if it exceeds my expectations and I find myself entertained for the majority of the movie, I consider the film a success. I mean, I’m not going to go out and buy the DVD or anything, but at least I don’t feel like I lost two hours of my life I’ll never get back.
For that reason, among others, I am a fan of the Shrek franchise. There are enough stupid giggles and …
The plight of the migrant farm worker seems to get caught up in controversy in the US. “Migrant” is often confused with “illegal immigrant,” and the issue becomes lost in politics.
What really lies beneath the politics and the issues is a problem- families struggling to support their way of life, moving from town to town, following whatever harvest or work they can find.
Harvest of Hope, created in 1997, is moving forward to becoming a solution to that problem.
“In 1995, I began work at the State University of New York at …
Shootin’ the Sh*t with Kevin Smith
Titan Books
6 of 10
I have a long-harbored affection for Kevin Smith. His Clerks movies are two of my all-time favorite movies, his podcast and college talks make me chuckle, and I briefly contemplated stealing Silent Bob Speaks from the library. I dig the man’s style and sense of humor- he’s crude, vulgar, and at times childish; he’s a huge comic book nerd (and he even writes comics!); and deep down, he is a huge softie.
I was stoked to see that he was “writing” yet another …
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Twentieth Century Fox
10 of 10
As a kid I read a lot. Specifically, I read a lot of fantasy. Real life stories were too normal, too boring, too unadventurous. I spent loads of time as a child nose deep in L. Frank Baum, C.S. Lewis, and Roald Dahl creations. I always balk at film adaptations of my much-loved childhood memories- too often, the story is contorted to be mass-marketable, generic, or romanticized. Of course, I was ever so slightly apprehensive to hear that one of my favorite directors was …
Where the Wild Things Are
Warner Brothers
5/10
A bunch of mopey monsters in suits, some daddy issues, and some brilliant on screen images- this is what’s to be expected from Spike Jonze’s latest flick. The adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are was highly anticipated, what with its huge childhood cult following, Maurice Sendak telling anyone who doesn’t like the movie to go to hell, and Karen O working on the soundtrack. This all sounds like the makings of a fantastic fun time for kids and adults alike, but such is not …
Zombieland
Columbia Pictures
9/10
In reviewing this year’s latest zombie flick, I find myself unable to find where to start, not because it was a bad flick, but simply because there were so many kick ass things about the movie. I am no connoisseur of zombie movies, but I have seen my fair share and can safely say that this is the best zombie movie I have ever seen. Zombieland is a careful collaboration of sarcasm, slapstick, artful direction, cool special effects, and even a minimal amount of sappiness. In short, something …
I’m sitting here, pondering where to being detailing my weekend at the largest entertainment convention in the world, and I can’t seem to wrap my head around it. Forty years ago, Comic Con started out as a gathering of comic book fans (come on, the term “geek” is kind of passé now), and now it’s almost hard to pick the true diehards out. It’s a mass media advertising frenzy- books, movies, video games, and TV, and I wouldn’t really be surprised if music was on the horizon for this enormous …
Aushua
June 12, 2009
Biased though I may be about my music, it’s high time I told you about the best band blowing up in Orange County. Nathan Gammill and brothers Lee, Eric, and Phil Neujahr form the band Aushua, and it’s about time you got off your chair and gave them a listen. I recently scoped the boys out at the bar above the Roxy- aka On the Rox- and despite a few minor equipment malfunctions, the boys rocked the stage. My only regret is that more people weren’t there to …
Third Eye Blind
Hollywood Palladium
June 25, 2009
As always, I blame it on The Emperor. Jonathan Yost, you pulled me out of the dregs of Target into a world of music and then you take me to shows and let me see my former idols for what they are- arrogant jerks. Each cherished album of my youth has been shattered into oblivion by performances that fall flat, strange stage antics, and the realization that when all is said and done, the music really isn’t that great. Way to ruin the memories …
I’ve spent a few brief moments in past posts on the whole “green” movement. While I cannot say that I am exactly an environmentalist, I can say that if you want to get involved in it, you have to be careful. Companies have discovered that words like “natural,” “environmentally-friendly,” and “green” are on most peoples’ minds at the moment, and it doesn’t take a fool to recognize what a great marketing opportunity has arisen from them. Unfortunately, it also doesn’t take a fool to get swindled by these marketing practices. …
It started as a simple idea fueled by a wish to create change, and now their impact can be seen all over the world, among people young and old. Stylish, fun, and influential, TOM’s Shoes is changing the world, one foot at a time. In celebration of their third birthday, I’d like to share a bit about the spectacular company.
Three years ago, Blake Mycoskie visited Argentina and was inspired to use his brain and his resources to do some good in the world. He came up with a unique …
