a weekly informing and recommending email
Written by J.S. Lewis
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PLUG IN
Hello lasses and lads! To make up for the shortage of AllMoPs recently I am delivering a packed issue today! All categories are receiving coverage and lots of it! (Plus, I introduce two brand new segments! At this right, by the year 2027 AllMoPs will be a weekly book of plugs!) Get ready to plug into 28 links! Heck, make that 29. Hopefully at least one of these will pique your complicated interests. Cheers, merrymake, relish, and all manner of whatnots.
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MVOTW
I am huge fan of the Yankovic. The lyrics to this Bob Dylan parody are entirely made up of palindromes. Impressive eh?
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A LIST
Top 10 Smartest Dogs. I'm happy that the only dog I've taken part in owning ranks #1.
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NEWS TO ME
"Why You Shouldn't Snuggle with Your Pooch in Bed." I could think of several reasons. I am thankful I don't have such a problem. This Time's article explains why pets in bed is "a health risk."
Have you ever wondered what sorts of items humans have swallowed? Check out "a history of the ingestion of foreign bodies."
I oft ponder what our friends in Michigan are up to... I never thought it would be this.
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HONEST HIGHLIGHT*
*The Honest Highlight section is also a bit of news, but not bizarre and obscure (like the stuff you get in "News To Me").
"Piers Morgan Tonight" debuted this week. Did you see it? Morgan is the replacement for Larry King who retired last year. He is a British journalist, so he asks great questions and sounds great doing it. He interviewed everyone from Condoleezza Rice (pressing her for the reason we went to war with Iraq) to the never-dull Howard Stern. Oprah (who says she'll never get married), Clooney (who's father was bought in the studio to shed more light) and his fellow Brit and recently relevant Ricky Gervais (more on that in The FIlm Tome Report) also got spots this week. CNN recaps the first week here. Next week Piers will peer Collin Firth, unwrap Rod Stewart, try to keep up with the Kardashians and more. I am a fan of the show, so much that I created this part of the issue just to give it a plug.
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MONKEY DO
How could you not want to read a story entitled "Chimps bite zookeeper's fingers off in vicious ape house attack"? (My favorite part is the picture they chose to go along with the article.)
In other sober primate news, Willy the gorilla passed away. (I really wanted to say "Willy the gorilly.") He spent the majority of his life (over 40 years) in a zoo in Fukuoka. Willy was known for being the gorilla who drank from a cup.
Also, good riddence to the ape killers. I had no idea how prevalent bushmeat was...
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POLICE BEAT*
*BYU's newspaper, The Daily Universe, features a troubling and/or entertaining section in each Wednesday issue: Police Beat. I will be sharing some highlights with all of you in this new section.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Jan.: A man reported his wife spraying him in the eye with household cleaner. She claimed she had only sprayed him in the arm. The woman was cited. Various weapons were also found in the husband’s possession, including machetes.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
Jan. 14: A woman was driving near the Crabtree building when she stopped at a light. A male using the crosswalk tapped her car with his hand and told her that she should not drive while talking on the phone. The driver saw this same man later and told him not to touch her vehicle. In response he rubbed his hands on the front of her car. Police were called, but the pedestrian was gone before they arrived.
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RANDOMONIA
Remember her?
We've all heard how dangerous it is to text and drive. Some have even been so bold to compare it to drinking and driving. Now it seems driving isn't the only method of travel you shouldn't engage in while texting... WALKING can be just as dangerous. Special thanks to those working security at this mall who could and should lose their jobs for posting thisonline. It's funny.
This dude either deserves an Academy Award OR puts the "p" in "pansy." You decide.
On a similar note (and because it is sometimes entertaining to see what makes a child weep), I bring you this.
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BEDTIME STORY*
*Another estranged addition to the AllMoPs family. In this segment I hook you up with a short story ripe for digestion just before you pass out at night.
by Richard Schnelzer
Found from a site where anyone can "publish" their writings, this is a twisted tale with all manner of mistakes (in terms of grammar and spelling) that I still found wildly entertaining and fascinatingly macabre.
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GAMERAIN
I already have "Plants vs. Zombies" on my iPhone, Mac and Xbox 360 (bought them in that order). Now I can get it for my Nintendo DS too! The graphics are noticeably worse (with a weaker frame rate too), but "PvZ" will always have some of the best gameplay around. The game has an average rating of 82% on gamerankings.com. Here is IGN's review.
Speaking of Nintendo DS, the next iteration (the Nintendo 3DS) has been given an officially release date! It will be available in the United States on March 27th for $250. At that time all Nintendo fanboys will be able to play as Mario, Link or whoever else they showcase, in 3D! Nintendo is also offering a selection of movies to watch on the handheld device. As they do with anything worth awaiting in gamedom, GameSpot has given the 3DS its own launch center.
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THE FILM TOME REPORT
THE TRAILER ROUND-UP
THE TRAILER ROUND-UP
The Headscratcher: "Scream 4" is listed as both Horror and Comedy. Few filmmakers can pull off both moods (see Bong Joon Ho's "The Host" for an ambitious picture that managed to do just that). Somehow this looks unintentionally funny and void of scariness. Boo.
"Rubber" is about- No. I shant tell. You must see for yourself. When the trailer started I began chanting within myself "Yes... Yes... Yes!" It really is what it is! This could be the "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!" of the new decade! (Hopefully it will be better too!) "Rubber" is officially on my radar... I can hardly wait to see this.
Toss of the Week: I have yet to see a Korean film that I do not admire on multiple facets. I'm already appreciating Chang-dong Lee's "Poetry" from just beholding the trailer. Realistic films often serve as character studies and are among the most personal creations ever made. I realize some people might be as interested in such films as they are into poetry itself. As for myself, I have dipped into euphrates and I look for others who have their own rivers. Asian cinema continues to astound me.
ENLSITED
Top 10 Sequels That Did Not Do Well. To clarify, this is in terms of box office grosses.
Sundance Film Festival started on the 20th and goes to the 30th. I hope to get up there for at least one of those days (I didn't buy tix in advance so I'll have to Wait List it...) If you live in the Slat Lake City area and love films, take advantage of this great opportunity that only comes once a year (the majority of the events take place in Park City, Utah). Here's the film guide for this year's festivities.
THE BAD
Have you heard they are making a "Battleship" movie? Yes. Based on the board game. Have you heard James Cameron bash the idea? (Note: This part is actually GOOD.)
AND THE WEIRD
AND THE WEIRD
Some entries at the aforementioned Sundance Film Festival are certainly making a name for themselves. There are thousands of applicants each year, independent filmmakers all hoping for a shot at getting their film recognized. Sundance is one of the biggest film festivals there is. Of all those applicants, just over 100 got selected to be part of the show. You may wonder why "Hobo with a Shotgun" is one of them. Another intriguing entry is "The Nine Muses," which has been labeled as a "documentary essay." Few people love docs, even fewer people love essays. I follow Jeff Goldsmith on Facebook and occasionally listen to his podcast (Creative Screenwriting). It was his comments on "The Nine Muses" that brought the film into my existence. He claimed it was "not a film" (an "art exhibit" rather) and admitted it was the third film he's walked out of in seven year. That's saying something from a guy who watches films every single day. This article shed some more light on "The Nine Muses" for me. I really like the 3-minute clip on there (again, hooray for poetry!), but do not know how I would feel about watching an hour or two of it.
Clint Eastwood will not have a film coming out in 2011. Instead, he is busy working on two slated for 2012 releases. The first is a biopic on J. Edgar Hoover, starring Leo DiCaprio as the gay and rumored cross dresser FBI director. The second is a third remake of the 1937 film, "A Star is Born." It stars Beyonce. Eastwood is doing a musical folks.
KEEPIN' IT SHORT
Made by Marv Newland
Enjoy.
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UNPLUG
Charming lizards! If you have any comments, questions, requests, complaints or threats please let your voice be heard by allmops@gmail.com. If you wish to be removed from the AllMoPs send-list, let me know. If you wish to add someone, let me know. Remember, all previous AllMoPs are available at my blog, All Manner of Posts. Go dance in the sun this weekend and thanks for plugging in!
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