MVOTW - GANGNAM STYLE

MUSIC & MVOTW

Acronyms. This one? Music video of the week. Back when AllMoPs first began I would highlight a music video every issue (thus every week). I do not pretend to be a music buff, but being human is loving certain music. And so I do.

I do not keep up with "pop music," though my wife does a fine job and finds occasion to subject my ears to the drivel. Yes, that is what I consider most of the Billboard toppers to be. Luckily there are occasional surprises. I love listening to soundtracks from films and video games; I can praise those in their respective tomes. That said, I am not fit to compile The Music Tome (or anything close to it), but I desire to highlight certain drops of pop. Because I am so in love with the moving image it makes sense that I would latch onto the idea of music video. After all, music videos are just short films. With a strong 30 years of music videos and more each and every day I am sure I can find one a week I deem worth your time.

Here is a treat:

My Chinese wife is far more fond of K-pop (the popular music scene of South Korea) than those that grow from the Mainland. As I mentioned before, without her I would not have a respectable diet of pop music in the first place. Besides America's offering I get a far more secular palette with connections from the Far East.

PSY is a Korean hip hop singer. He is not a particularly pretty face (and more Cee Lo Green than Jay-Z at that), but that is part of the charm of his "Gangnam Style," the hit single from his sixth album. This song has created a wave from its country of origin earlier this month; this week it is infecting our stereos and screens. A beat-heavy diddy indeed, but the music video is the crowning achievement. You will be doing PSY's signature dance all day and the day after. This is a hilarious and stylish video that pokes so much fun at its Western counterparts (while clearly a product of years of American influence mixed with K-pop's own line-dancing staple) that you cannot help but smile at these hopping and popping Koreans.

POTD: CHEWBACCA RIDES AGAIN

(Source: Dorkly)

There is nothing I can say to possibly add to the sublimeness of this painting. Just look upon it, print it, frame it, and believe.

BE THANKFUL

Over the last 12 months the "First World Problems" meme has lit the Internet on fire and become a household term for myself and millions of others. The best part of these simplistic realizations is that it can lead one to be thankful for what they have.

If you are reading this post right now you have an internet connection, which probably means you have many necessitates taken care of and luxuries at your disposal.

This morning the following infographic caught my eye, attention, and left me feeling incredibly grateful for the comforts and opportunities I have in my life. Before you complain this week, count your many blessings, name them one by one...

POTD (1.23.12): A LEGO CHINESE NEW YEAR

(Source: NPR)

Happy Chinese New Year everybody! We are back to the year of the dragon! I was born in such a year (the earth dragon to be precise). This year we ring in the water dragon. NPR posted this picture this morning and I just had to share it with you. It is simple, charming, colorful, and funny. I am also taking advantage of this important day to restart the "Picture of the Day" series here in AllMoPs, one of my blogs that hasn't been getting very much love lately. Here's to new years, resolutions, and dragons.

A NOT-SO-HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Everyone needs a hobby. It appears one Washington man's was constructing homemade torture devices (like this guillotine seen below).

Photo by Alberto Pizzoli

The contraption went into operation suddenly when one man had his shoulder in the prime spot and lost an arm. It wasn't said whether or not it was the man who made the device.

"I hope that's a Halloween costume," was one woman's reaction. It was not.

The victim has been transferred to Harborview for further treatment. Read the full story from CBS Seattle.

Not everyone is going to be having a happy Halloween it seems. At least now they know the guillotine works (for arms anyway).

PRIME PURCHASE: SAMURAI UMBRELLA

Introducing the Samurai Umbrella! You can be ready for the rain with unmatched speed and deadlier precision than anyone.

Not since Mary Poppins has anyone looked so cool with an umbrella.

Everyone will want to be under your umbrella-a-a-a-a.

You can purchase the Samurai Umbrella for just $28.95 at Neatoshop.

THE WIZARD OF AZ

On the Travel Snapshots section of CNN Travel this morning, I was awed by the pictures of one Floyd Yarmuth. He documented the majestic areas of Sedona, Arizona and the Petrified Forest National Park, two places now on my travelog as I walk planet Earth. Credit first, of course, to the Creator and then, of course, to the one who captured it. Both practice art and design. Creation begets further creation in a beautiful circle of development and achievement. For more from both, check out Yarmuth's portfolio.

Earlier this week, I beheld an incredible time-lapse video of a sand monster taking over Arizona. This leviathan-of-a-storm belongs to the breed and creed of haboob (news to me). As photographer Scott Wood reported, this haboob "engulfed the Phoenix metro area on July 5th." (There is no shortage of other impressive images at Scott Wood Photography.) I was traveling through several states that day, including Arizona for some miles; there was something special brewing in the air. I had no idea this was going on until I had returned to Los Angeles and checked Twitter. The dust gale delayed flights and left some 10,000 residents without power. From what I could gather, nobody was hurt. Amazing really, you'd think somebody would have crashed their car with such driving condition abounding. Here is CNN's coverage of the story, which includes more video of the undertaking (or overtaking I suppose). One man, born and raised in Phoenix, said it was "unreal" and "like a movie." It certainly looks like something Roland Emmerich would salivate over having in one of his productions.

And so, after having two different sources in one week lead me to the spectacles of Arizona, I was pushed to write, post, and share. Having lived in America's Southwest for years, I know the exclusive beauty and mysterious energy lodging in that region. The first time I saw a dust devil while driving through Santa Clara, UT would have left me speechless if it weren't for my teenage tendency to exclaim the likes of "dude... awesome!" I am ever-impressed by the world we live in and the ultimate "powers that be" who made this land for you and me.

MVOTT - AMERICAN PIE

I just barely watched this and absolutely had to share it with others. Like many cool and fascinating items, I learned about this from Twitter. Sure, I would have been bound to come across it sooner or later, but getting it sooner (it was posted on Thursday) and the source from which it comes ought to be noteworthy. If you want to know some stellar folks to "Follow," I have a few recommendations. I learned of this music video from Roger Ebert who Tweeted: "The greatest music video ever made. All done with a single uninterrupted shot. http://bit.ly/jTbylH." 


It certainly is done with a "single uninterrupted shot" and it just might be the "greatest music video ever made." The city of Grand Rapids (in Michigan) has come together in a big way: they have done a lip dub to "American Pie" by Don McClean and apparently set a new World Record in the process.


It may help to have a basic understanding of the recent single-shot lip-dub craze... In November of 2009, the students of Shorecrest High School in Shoreline, Washington made an impressive lip dub of "Hey Ya!" by OutKast. It was a single take and featured myriad "faces in the hall." A month later, Shorewood High School (Shorecrest's rival in Shoreline) responded with a longer lip dub of "You Make My Dreams Come True" by Hall & Oates (recently made popular by the film "(500) Days of Summer"). What made it all the more impressive was that the entire thing was done backwards! The local news was sure to cover the story at that time. Other schools have produceed their own versions. I have not been following that scene as of late, but I will be looking into it because of this. "The Office," always ready to dissect memes of the day, began the Season 7 premier with one of their own lip dubs. (I apologize for the shoddy quality. If I find a better one, I will certainly replace it.) The group OK Go also deserves to be mentioned. While the songs are their own, they have certainly popularized the single-shot music video, often done with a homemade vibe about them.


Now back to the latest and greatest! "The Grand Rapids Lip Dub" (as it will be known) was not made by a school, but by the city itself. 5,000 people were involved for the nearly 9-minute extravaganza on a budget of $40,000. The music video was filmed just last week on May 22nd. (You see, these types of projects require very little editing.) Besides setting a World Record, the city was making a statement. Rob Bliss, the director and executive producer of the project, surely says it best, "This video was created as an official response to the Newsweek article calling Grand Rapids a 'dying city.' We disagreed strongly, and wanted to create a video that encompasses the passion and energy we all feel is growing exponentially, in this great city. We felt Don McLean's "American Pie," a song about death, was in the end, triumphant and filled to the brim with life and hope." 


I suppose we have whoever wrote said Newsweek article to thank.


As Rob Bliss (a fitting name for the man who would produce such a celebratory video) discussed, "American Pie" is a significant song, I'd argue one of the best in our nation's history. It is an anthem of the 20th Century, a tribute to men and women who rock. A reverent text that remains open to interpretation while still surely alluding to some certainties. Don McLean's worship of God and honor of men. Music speaks to our souls.


I did not know the story behind the production when I watched it just now (that realization came with writing this post), but I was still greatly affected by it. This is officially the first lip dub to bring tears to my eyes. They were tears of joy really, an appreciation of the human race as represented by the citizens of this conurbation. I did not know their cause, but could see in the countenances an honest and heartfelt effort. Thank God for it. There is so much good in this world! People joining together in a creative and constructive concept. There is glee and triumph here. A jubilation of group achievement and a healthy pride for their beautiful city! Oh, how I love people! Oh, what a way to sell your town! Do you know the breed of laughter that comes from joviality? Not because there is humor, but because there is a poised happiness. I just experienced that. My smile stretched and it felt refined. I love people.


Watching this I wondered how on earth they did it. What a tremendous undertaking! I also wondered how anyone can top this. Then I wondered if I should move to Grand Rapids, Michigan tomorrow.


I have the people of that city to thank.

THE SEARCH FOR A NEW DUCK VOICE

Here is a news story in several parts and it is not yet finished. Then again, how many stories are?

Meet Gilbert Gottfried. Chances are you have seen him somewhere. He is a comedian (among the most crude). He is an actor. He has also appeared on "Hollywood Squares." Mr. Gottfried has a very distinct voice: a persistent, grating, screech-like tone.  Perhaps that is what he is best known for.

Did you know he provided the voice the Aflac duck? A rather fitting choice for one of the most annoying mascots around. See one of their commercials here.

Last month brought tragic natural disasters to Japan. As with any large event, Twitter was positively abuzz. A new trend (#prayforjapan) immediately rose above the rest. Although, not all the tweets were positive or in good taste. Gottfried himself, a joker through and through, thought it was a good time to test some new material:

• "I just split up with my girlfriend, but like the Japanese say, 'They'll be another one floating by any minute now."

• "Japan is really advanced. They don't go to the beach. The beach comes to them."

He had a dozen tweets in total (which were later taken down). These quips did not fly for the voice of Alfac duck and Gottfried's professional neck was on the line. Alfac fired him on March 14th.

So, this morning I open to my browser's (Chrome) homepage (CNN) and I this picture catches my eye:

(Sorry, I am unable to copy the larger version of the pic, which appears in a slideshow within the article. Besides, now you are treated to the same picture and same size that caught my eye this morning.)

The attached report? You guessed it: auditions for the new voice of Aflac. I suppose the title of this post gave that away eh? You can find that story here. The best/worst part about the article is that there is some audition footage attached. Seriously, did some of these people know they were auditioning for the Aflac duck? Did they really practice and put this date on their calenders? There might be a useable sound or two among this bunch, but it is mostly laughably bad.

Gottfried was quick to apologize after being fired. Good for him. That does require some decency and thoughtfulness. If Aflac's casting department cannot find a better flock of voices (than those is said video) I really think they and Gottfried should let bygones be bygones and get back to quacking (which in this case is work).

AllMoPs 23

All Manner of Plugs: Issue 23 (3.21.2011)

a weekly informing and recommending email

Written by J.S. Lewis

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Thanks for clicking this open and now thanks for starting to read. This is the 23rd helping of AllMoPs! There have been some changes to the program. For one thing, The Film Tome Report and Gamerain are no longer to be found in this email. They still exist and are now better than ever (including pictures). I will provide links to them in each issue. In fact, here you are: The Film Tome Report: Issue 23 and Gamerain: Drop 23. The rest of AllMoPs is the same as always and can be found below. Enjoy!

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MVOTW

"Hooked on a Feeling" by David Hasselhoff

This has been on YouTube for five years? I don't know how I went so long without seeing it until now. Special thanks to members of VGAME for showing me this. I do not know how this video came to be, why Hasselhoff agreed to it, or why more people don't watch it on a daily basis. It is one of the most entertaining MVs I know of.

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A LIST

The Hollywood Reporter announces "Hollywood's 10 Most Stupid Tweets."

Yesterday Cracked published "6 Insane Uses of Animals in Wartime (That Actually Worked)." A friend and I actually did a presentation on this topic last year in our Chinese class (learning how to say "incendiary monkeys" in another language has blessed my life). What did I learn? Genghis Kahn is a brilliant strategist. Also, see the related article entitled, "7 Insane Military Attempts To Weaponize Animals."

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MONKEY DO

I will let the title of the article speak for itself: "Woman Goes to Court with a Monkey in Her Bra." 

 

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POLICE BEAT

Assault

March 2: A student reported being told to sit down at the basketball game. He did not comply and he was grabbed and hit in the face.

Criminal Mischief

March 4: Microwaves from Helaman Halls were moved into the hall lounge, where someone destroyed them by running food in them for a considerable amount of time. When officers responded they found the ruined microwaves along with charred remains of a burrito. Police said this has already happened twice in Helaman Halls, and investigation is pending.

Suspicious Behavior

Feb. 18: A writing center employee reported a male student often comes to the center to receive help with sexually explicit stories he has written. The male also pushes to spend an hour with tutors even though most students are only allowed 30 minutes. The writing center is taking action while police are monitoring the situation.

March 2: Officers received a report of a van with fogged windows and seats removed from the vehicle. The caller suspected lewd acts were being committed in the van. Upon arrival, the officers discovered 10 fully-clothed individuals watching a movie.

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RANDOMONIA

This is one of the funniest videos I have ever seen. Well made!

Terrifying.

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UNPLUG

Unestimated chinchillas! 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. Have a merry week and thanks for plugging in!

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AllMoPs 22

All Manner of Plugs: Issue 22 (3.7.2011)

a weekly informing and recommending email

Written by J.S. Lewis

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Missed the last two week, but like a good boomerang I have returned and like a good pizza boy I am delivering (on a Monday!). Sit down and relax, the links are on me. Well, not on me, but provided by me. You know? No? Here:

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MVOTW

"Welcome To Heartbreak" by Kanye West

An interestin' visual to one of the excellent tracks from Kanye's "808s and Heartbreak." It was an experimental mechanical album (entirely done with auto-tune) and this MV seems have the same hard-shelled casing of technology with a flesh and bones message inside. No, your computer is not wigging out, it is supposed to look like that.

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A LIST

Forbes presents "25 Stunningly Dumb Warning Labels." Sadly, there are probably reasons for them.

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NEWS TO ME

Tony Mangan from Ireland plans to run a marathon every day for three years... and I thought trying to watch a movie every day was hard. Video news here.

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GAMERAIN

At the Game Developers Conference this year, Toru Iwatani (the creator of Pac-Man) spoke on the influences and development of the arcade classic from 1980. Check out IGN's entertaining and informative article, "7 Things You Never Knew About Pac-Man."

Xbox Live Arcade is one of the best platforms for gaming today. With new releases every week and with multiple 5-star titles already in the library, it is an easy sale for anyone interested in games. Besides that, every game is required to have a playable demo! Last year IGN posted their "Top 25 Xbox Live Arcade Games." My only grievance is that their placement of "Braid" is much too low... Still, their #1 is a pleasant surprise!

"Pokemon White" and "Black" for the Nintendo DS hit shelves today (on a Sunday, I know, weird right?). Of course, it is the same tried-and-true formula with some new features slapped on, namely the 3D-ish environments. IGN gave the game a 9 and labeled it "Amazing." Click here for access to their written and video reviews. The game currently has an 87 on metacritic.

Before TIm Burton got his hands on the "Alice in Wonderland" franchise (which turned out to be a rather disappointing venture) there was "American McGee's Alice," a macabre and bloody action game based on Lewis Carroll's books. Now, American McGee and his team at Spicy Horse are finishing the sequel, "Alice: Madness Returns," due this summer (June 14th). Here is the trailer and gameplay. I feel the twisted visuals and overall lunacy demonstrated herein surpasses what you may have seen in theaters last year and that is what Alice is all about. Still, no adaptation can surpass the under-appreciated masterpiece that emerged from Disney studios in 1951.

If I am going to buy one game this year, it is going to be "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim." The first trailer (with gameplay!) came out last week. All of the excitement that I had in the months before "Oblivion" released is coming back! It is a grand time to be a gamer. Charles and Ryan from IGN breakdown the trailer in a hearty session ofRewind Theater. There is so much to dissect herein and they do a great job (even managing to point out the nirnroot that I honestly missed!). 11.11.11 is the day.

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THE FILM TOME REPORT

THE TRAILER ROUND-UP

We have had a teaser, a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl and now finally a full trailer! I speak of "Kung Fu Panda 2." I am a fan of the first, which featured one of the most stellar training montages in all of film, and hope this one can match if not surpass it. I think the trailer looks great, more in terms of the visuals than the film as a whole. In any case, Po asks a perplexing question, "How can kung fu stop something that stops kung fu?" We shall be able to find come May 26th.

It's true, the folks at Dreamworks thought it would be a good idea to give Puss in Boots, the metro-swash-buckling kitty voiced by Antonio Banderas from the "Shrek" sequels, his own film. It is called... "Puss in Boots." This silly teaser tells us little of the narrative, but looks to take place in a Latin setting and methinks it will be an origins story for the Zorro-like feline. The "Shrek" series ended off on a very high note with "Shrek Ever After" (although ANYTHING could be considered very high when compared with the king of tripe known as "Shrek the Third"), so I am justified in being a little hopeful.

"Legend of the Fist," starring kung fu master Donnie Yen as kung fu master Chen Zhen will knock your shoes and socks off! Not since the exceptional likes of "Kung Fu Hustle" have I seen a stylized martial art epic set in a 20th century world that looks so sweet. While we yawn our heads off in the West with one superhero movie after another (not to mention one rebooted superhero movie after another), the East is sharpening a knife to slam in the table of contemporary action films. Hiyah!

Rainn Wilson, BKA Dwight from "The Office," stars in "Super" (I am a little envious someone officially used that title before me and in a similar way and for a similar reason), not your typical super hero film. I have yet to see last year's "Kick Ass," but this certainly harks back to its likes. After beholding the trailer I must declare my love for it: The confrontation and abandonment of cliches, the hand-drawn comic book effects and use of blunt humor all seem golden. Kevin Bacon, Liv Tyler and the Ellen Page co-star!

Toss of the Week: The namesake for "A Better Life" seems to be what the father in this film hopes his son will have compared to his own. Father-son relationships are among the most touching to me, add on the situation of a foreigner trying to make a life in America (a situation I have come to intimately learn) and you have a narrative that grips me from the get-go. The lead performances seem promising enough throughout the carefully shot sequences that lend themselves to realism. In this trailer I saw a sort of contemporary retelling of "The Bicycle Thief," a film that reaches greatness on multiple facets. "A Better Life" will hit select theaters on June 24th.

ENLSITED

Will Entertainment Weekly's list of "25 Greatest Working Directors" have you shaking your head in disbelief or nodding in agreement? Thankfully, my noggin did more of the latter. JoBlo responds.

AND THE WEIRD

The rumors are true... Lucas is bringing back "Stars Wars" with a 3D makeover, starting with "Episode 1: The Phantom Menace." It will hit theaters on February 10, 2012. I for one am not planning on being there. On one hand, it will be an interesting experiment and some will see if the conversion works, on the other hand, it seems like business as usual and audiences will surely fill the hungry pockets of some.

Not sure what I feel about a sequel to "Dumb and Dumber." If it is near as bad as the prequel looked, no thanks. Still, the Farrelly brothers seem to be for it and I must ever remember that few duo can make me laugh like Carrey and Daniels.

I thought this spoofed trailer was magnificent! I am a big fan of "The King's Speech," but must accept this a spot of well-done fun. Great to see Tyson's acting chops in "The President's Speech."

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Underage jabberwocky! 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. March on and thanks for plugging in!

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AllMoPs 21

All Manner of Plugs: Issue 21 (2.20.2011)

a weekly informing and recommending email

Written by J.S. Lewis

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I am happy to report this is just a week after our last issue! Prepare to be informed and recommended.

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MVOTW

"We Will Become Silhouettes" - The Postal Service

Just a plain nice song with a simple video to showcase it in. The song, band and genre are all pretty new to me. Jared Hess directs.

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A LIST

Dear readers, whether you were born in the 1920s or the 1930s, have I got a list to share with you: "All-TIME 100 Greatest Toys."

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NEWS TO ME

Breaking news just doesn't get better than "the naked sausage thief."

And, in regards to those who break such news, check out anchors and co-anchors in brief verbal feuds.

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MONKEY DO

Last October a baby gorilla was born in the London Zoo, these days he is just taking his first steps, a video of which has just gone viral this week. It is darling. I had no idea that gorilla infants waited months until walking.

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POLICE BEAT

Disorderly Conduct

Feb. 10: A Heritage Halls CSA reported being followed by a red laser dot while roving the area. Police located the source of the laser, and confronted a female resident who had been shining the laser out her window. Officers warned the student about her actions.

Suspicious

Feb. 8: Custodians discovered a suspicious-looking male reading magazines in the Maeser building before the building opened in the morning. The man told custodians his wife worked in the ESC and he came to the building in the early morning to read periodicals. He was ushered out of the building

Theft

Feb. 9: A male student was caught on security cameras removing a class packet from the bookstore. The student was followed into the HFAC where he was confronted and confessed to having previously taken an additional class packet. The student was cited and both packets were recovered

Threats

Feb. 8: A female student reported feeling threatened after she refused to eat with a man who sat next to her on a bus and followed her to the CougarEat. When she told the man that she did not want to eat with him, he reportedly told the woman that she had better watch her back.

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RANDOMONIA

Ouch.

Ouch again.

Cat attack.

Cat attack again.

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GAMERAIN

One of the games I am most looking forward to this year (third to "Skyrim" and "Portal 2") is "L.A. Noire." Made by Team Bondi and published by the ever-reliable Rockstar, it is shaping up to look stellar. Check out this interview with Rob Nelson of Rockstar juxtaposed with plenty of gameplay action. The technology behind the game (especially the secret behind those state-of-the-art facial animations) is legit. The "L.A. Noire" equation in my head? Take "Mafia," set it in Los Angles and you play as a detective instead of a gangster.

I did not even know of the video game series "You Don't Know Jack" until now. GameSpot gave the latest a 8.0 (for "great") in their video review. It is a trivia game that gets a little a flippant about its duties (as one might suppose from the title). GameSpot is not alone in heralding the zesty game, it currently has an 84% on metacritic.

Check out the powerful announcement trailer for yet another zombie video game, "Dead Island." It is beautiful and it is disgusting. That sounds ridiculous, I know, but see it and you will know what I mean. It left me pondering if the only way a zombie tale can have a happy ending is if you are telling it in reverse. Personally, I am sold based on a few words in the description for the game: "open world... survival on a zombie-infested island." Well, I guess the correct phrasing would be it is an "open island" game. Some dedicated journalists at IGN have recut the trailer to chronological order and analyze it in this 8-minute video. "Dead Island" is made by the folks at Techland who are otherwise noted as the makers of "Call of Juarez" series, which I have not yet played and will therefore not comment on. "Dead Island" is due sometime this year.

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THE FILM TOME REPORT

THE TRAILER ROUND-UP

"Apollo 18" bears the tag-line, "There's a reason we never went back to the moon." I never knew that we had stopped sending men to that rock, but according to the synopsis the last time was 1972. The synopsis goes one to claim that Apollo 18 went to the moon a year later and apparently the two-man crew never returned. The "actual footage" that makes up this film is the reason for that tag-line. Essentially, this looks to be "Paranormal Activity" (a series a really like) on the moon. The '70s look and feel, especially as seen through their myriad cameras, is a nice touch. It is interesting how alike products always seem to emerge at the same time. Compare this with the impressive teaser for "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (which, by the way, got a 30-second spot earlier this month during the Big Game) and Duncan Jones's indie masterwork "Moon" from 2009.

Ridley Scott's daughter (Jordan Scott) will now get her film distributed in the states. Apparently filmmaking runs in the Scott family. "Cracks" does not quite seem to be my cup of tea, but it sure looks beautifully photographed. Might it be the "Picnic at Hanging Rock" of our generation?

The next trailer comes with a bit of a personal experience attached. I saw "I Saw the Devil" at Sundance this year. I knew then it would never merit an "R" rating (it is among the most violent films ever made, making the likes of "Saw" and "Hostel" seem like Saturday morning cartoons in comparison), so it makes sense that they are releasing it as "Not Rated." It is for that reason I cannot recommend "I Saw the Devil." Still, the filmmaking and acting was on another level of excellence that one truly does not see everyday. It is a mixed bag of fruits: wildly disturbing, ever-so-thrilling, sometimes inspiring, usually distressing and ultimately thought-provoking. I still contemplate the film's title and the decent of our protagonist. I took the experience as a self-evaluation and learned a lot about myself that evening in the Egyptian Theater and in the days after.

Toss of the Week: Ever since I first heard of "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives" I have wanted to experience it. Uncle Boonmee is on his deathbed and his visited by family members, both living and dead. It looks chilling, bizarre and beautiful. It won the Palm d'Or at last year's Cannes Film Festival. (For those not in the know, that is the highest prize at one highest regarded film festivals in the world. Past winners include "The White Ribbon," "Elephant" and "Pulp Fiction.") Uncle Boonmee's tale surely will not hit theaters around here and Netflix says the DVD availability date is unknown. It appears I have some patience to implement.

THE GOOD AND THE WEIRD

I have already addressed the "Spider-Man" reboot (still a bewildering notion), but now there is more news. Sony Pictures has officially announced that it will be called "The Amazing Spider-Man." JoBlo has the story and here is the film's official site.

2011 will break the all-time record for most film sequels in a single year with 27. Wow. Box Office Mojo with the tale.

KEEPIN' IT SHORT

"The Monk and the Fish"
Written and Directed by Michael Dudok de Wit.

Excellent use of colors and underscoring of music to match the action in this silly yet poignant tale.

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Falling slug cakes! 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. Have a jolly President's Day weekend and thanks for plugging in!

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AllMoPs 20

All Manner of Plugs: Issue 20 (2.13.2011)

an weekly informing and recommending email

Written by J.S. Lewis

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PLUG IN

Twenty down! I have debated changing my description of AllMoPs... should it be "a weekly and sometime every-other-weekly informing and recommending email"? It has been three weeks since I last lambasted your email accounts with more links than you can shake a stick at. Time will tell how much AllMoPs will tell. Enjoy our twentieth issue!

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MVOTW

"Gump" - Weird Al

Al took "Lump" and made it into a brilliant tribute/spoof of "Forrest Gump." If the lyrics do not impress you, Yankovic's physical feats will. I wanted to shed some light on Weird Al after I discovered President Obama follows him on Twitter.

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NEWS TO ME

The world's oldest person died last week. She was 114 (born in the late 1800s!). CNN covers.

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MONKEY DO

On a somewhat, shall we say somber note, a recent study of chimps shows that they too grieve the loss of their own.

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POLICE BEAT

Suspicious Activity

Jan. 28: An individual was reported to be shouting profanities in Maeser Hall. The campus was searched, but no one was found.

Traffic

Feb. 2: A pedestrian walked across the street during a green light on West Campus Drive. An officer honked at the student, who then ran into the Tanner Building to hide. The officer found him and cited him for failure to stop at the command of an officer and ignoring a traffic device.

Disorderly Conduct

Jan. 29: Two bicyclists were reported doing tricks between the HBLL and the Wilkinson Center. When an officer arrived, the subjects rode away.

Jan. 31: Someone tried to drill out the locks on laundry units to get the money inside. They were unsuccessful.

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RANDOMONIA

Hand dancing? Hand dancing! (Thanks to my mum for showing me this.) Also, as a commenter pointed, watch how the guy only blinks once during his whole performance... rather creepy.

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GAMERAIN

"Stacking," the latest game from Double Fine (the mad team behind "Brutal Legend" and the masterpiece that is "Psychonauts"), just hit the electonic shelves earlier this week. You see, it is only available for digital download on Xbox 360 and PS3. I was looking quite forward to this game and have spent a little time with the demo. You play as Charlie, the smalls Russian nesting doll around. You can jump into dolls bigger than you, taking control of them and utilizing their special abilities to solve puzzles. The cutscenes are novel and the gameplay is jolly. Anything that hearkens to "Space Station Silicon Valley," where you play a hijacking microchip of robotic animals, is a pleasantry. That said, everyone speaking in text boxes left me a little overwhelmed in crowds. Running into frequent identical dolls also was a minor let down. Still, it is getting great reviews. Here is what GameSpot had to say.

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THE FILM TOME REPORT

THE TRAILER ROUND-UP

During last week's Bowl of Super proportions there were several TV-spots for some of this year's hottest flicks ("Super 8," "Cowboys & Aliens," and "Captain American" to name a few). Out of all of these, I am the most psyched for "Super 8." If it is about what I think it is about (a child takes advantage of a real alien encounter to make a movie)... it is right up my alley! (No wonder Spielberg wanted to produce this.) Many of these titles look great. Even though I have yet to see a 2011 film, I am starting to believe it can be a good year. To restate and for the record, I thought 2010 was a MARVELOUS year for film.

Here is the spot for "The Adjustment Bureau". Firstly, I will behold anything with Matt Damon. Secondly, this high concept is nutty enough.

"Limitless" looks like it just might have limits. Then again, it does have De Niro. What does any of this mean? Nothing.

Will "Hop" be worth the leap? From the director of "Alvin and the Chipmunks" (oh... no...) and the studio that brought us "Despicable Me" (Hey!) come the best CGI-characters in a live action environment since "Yogi Bear" (ew...)! It could go up or down folks.

I know nothing about X-Men, I have not seen any of the previous films, but perhaps that doesn't matter. This is "X-Men: First Class." The visuals are stunning to say the least.

"Battle: Los Angeles" also got a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl. The second trailer came out last month. While offering some new visuals, neither are quite as compelling as the debut trailer set to Johann Johannsson's haunting masterpiece of a song. (Trailer 2 uses the same song eventually, but too eventually IMHO.) In any case, I am excited for 3.11.11.

I greatly admire the novel quirk found in "Beginners." It looks to be well-acted (huge fan of Plummer and Melanie Laurent, who was PERFECT in "Inglourious Basterds") and carefully filmed.

Toss of the Week: "Even the Rain" seems to be rather onerous for audiences, such fair often are our greatest films. The impressive conception of a director making a film about the discovery of America amidst contemporary challenges in his own country. Finally, if I haven't said it before, I swear it now: Gael Garcia Bernal ("Amores Perros," "Y Tu Mama Tambien," "Babel," and "The Science of Sleep") is one of our finest actors. Although, they really should change the hombre's IMDb picture. Seriously, that might be the worst picture ever taken of him. There you go ladies.

ENLISTED

Entertainment Weekly ran a gallery of "10 Movies that Changed Hollywood." A couple of these are among my all-time faves.

What better way to get ready for the big night (Feb. 27) than to complain about the nominees? EW here with "Oscars: 19 Snubs That Bug You!". IMHO: Nolan should not only have been nominated, he should probably win. Something I will surely address on my "Oscar Preview" article next week.

Another way to get ready for this year's Academy Awards is to recount "16 Memorable Moments" from last year's show. (Again, EW is there for you and for me.)

THE GOOD AND THE WEIRD

After Christopher Nolan makes his third batman flick ("The Dark Knight Rises") he wants to do a Howard Hughes biopic. But wait... Yeah, of course Nolan is aware of Scorsese's "The Aviator" (a Howard Hughes biopic and a rather recent one at that). Why then? Because Nolan's film will cover the rest of the story.

Few directors have tackled as many genres as the Coen Borthers (Comedies, Dramas, Thrillers, Rom-Coms, Noir and most recently the Western), so it both surprising and not surprising to hear the two are working on a script for a horror film.

KEEPIN' IT SHORT

"Love in a Backward World"

Directed by Chris Vincze

The techniques are nothing revolutionary, but what Vincze and team have crafted is a lovely little picture that is sure to please.

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UNPLUG

Misunderstood raccoons! 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. Adore this month and thanks for plugging in!

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