FRED Entertainment

January 12, 2010

Win a SHE-HULK Premium Format Figure from Sideshow Collectibles!

Filed under: Contests — Tags: , , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 1:33 pm

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In conjunction with Sideshow Collectibles, we’re giving away a SHE-HULK Premium Format Figure.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 27th.

Sideshow Collectibles, Marvel Comics and Adam Hughes are proud to present the She-Hulk Comiquette, the very latest in Marvel Collectibles. Cast in high-quality polystone, this sculpture is taken directly from concepts and designs by famed comic book artist Adam Hughes, whose critically acclaimed realistic illustration meets pin-up style art has made him one of the industry’s most sought after artists and a perennial fan favorite. Each piece is individually painted and finished to exacting standards, each with its own unique quality and detail that is the trademark of a handcrafted Sideshow Collectibles product. The She-Hulk Comiquette is a fantastic addition to any display, a must-have for true Marvel fans.

The Sideshow Exclusive version of the She-Hulk Polystone Statue includes a unique feature available nowhere else: A print of the control art created by Adam Hughes

PLEASE NOTE: If you enter this contest, you are also signing up for Sideshow Collectibles’ newsletter. You can always unsubscribe whenever you want, but it’s full of great news, giveaways, exclusives, and announcements.

CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Official Rules

No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

No Purchase necessary to win.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 27th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

January 11, 2010

A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & Jonathan Coulton

Filed under: A Bit Of A Chat With Ken Plume,Interviews — Tags: , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:23 am

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I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

In this episode, I chat with cyber-troubadour Jonathan Coulton – an evil, evil man who must be destroyed.

Why this call to action? Because he’s immensely talented, an amazingly gifted songwriter, and his incredible creativity both intimidates a normal, ungifted person like myself and drives me to distraction with catchy tunes and wordplay.

Damn him to hell, I can’t stop listening to his music.

That includes his first album Smoke Monkey, his first EP, Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow, the complete 4-disc collection of his online songwriting experiment, Thing-a-Week, and his greatest hits compilation JoCo Looks Back.

You can purchase all of his discs, plus other merch – as well as partake of more sonic goodness – at www.JonathanCoulton.com. While you’re over there, be sure to check out all 52 Things – and pick up his CDs. And pledge your life to him. That talented bastard.

Hope you enjoy…

Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Jonathan Coulton“:

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-jonathan_coulton.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

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Drop Ken a line HERE.

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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.

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TV Or Not TV: 1/11 – 1/17

Filed under: TV Or Not TV — Tags: — admin @ 3:39 am

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Welcome to another very special edition of TV or Not TV where I’m completely kicked in the gut by Dollhouse and I’m not at all surprised about what has become of The Jay Leno Show.

Folks, there is no way for me to talk about this past Friday night’s episode of Dollhouse, “GETTING CLOSER”, without being spoilerish. So I’m telling you right now that if you haven’t watched it yet and you are going to you’ll want to bookmark this now and come back later.

So last night in the episode GETTING CLOSER a few key things happened. None of them really matter except for one big one and that was the reveal that Boyd Langton is one of the two people that started the Rossum corporation and is the one that is orchestrating everything in the company.  The reveal was amazing, the reveal was jaw dropping and the reveal was… confusing.

The confusion for me occurs on many different levels. Already the Internet chatter is referring to this reveal as Boyd being the “big bad” and “evil” which I’m still kind of unclear on. Yes, clearly, this reveal sheds an entirely different light on the character itself and makes the entire series worth re-watching in trying to decipher Boyd‘s actions and motiviations. No one leads an entirely different life that isn’t up to something and usually those type of deceptive actions aren’t good. Even with all of this evidence at hand we see Boyd, moments before the big reveal, break the neck of an infiltrating security team member and telling Echo to “hang in there.” Even in his big reveal he says that she is special and will help them in ways she’ll never understand, which is the same thing that everyone else pretty much has been saying. Huh?

OK, I can see snapping the security guys neck if he is running his own company from the shadows. It also goes in line with what is said during the reveal when he tells her that no harm will come to her. Trying to make sense of the rest, however, takes us back to the previous episode THE ATTIC (and some of the Season 1 home video exclusive EPITAPH ONE). The ability to imprint without Active Architecture technology that Topher was able to invent is eventually sold as a weapon to allow an entire city of people to be converted to whatever you want them to be: soldiers for your cause, insurgants, anything. Maybe Boyd had a long term plan that some how involved Echo being able to spark the creativity to get to that point in Topher originally. Even that is a bit of a conjecture stretch since Clyde in the attic said that there was a 97% chance of remote imprinting leading to the downfall of civiliation and pure chaos. With only a 3% likelyhood that the tech couldn’t get out of hand means that Boyd planned on Echo being his failsafe in restoring order should things go nutty. I really don’t know. Like I said earlier I’m just trying to make sense of it. Not an easy task at all.

I don’t know if this big reveal was something that was conceived all along or a bit of genius that they were able to come up with a few episodes ago when they knew the show was winding up but I’m loving the thrill ride that we are on and I’m both sad that the show was cancelled but I’m so excited by the results.

Speaking of shows that got cancelled how about The Jay Leno Show? I can’t say that I’m surprised at all since this prime time experiment was clearly one of the greatest network programming snafu’s imaginable. The part about all of this that amazes me is how arm chair critics could all predict, before the show even premiered, that the greatest problem the show would produce is lousy lead in ratings to local affiliate news and the execs and NBC couldn’t foreshadow it.

I think, however, that the mistakes seem to keep on rolling. Now NBC is talking to the entire late night entertainment line up to see if they can get everyone to play nice so they can some how keep LENO by giving him a 30 minute show at 11:35 followed by The Tonight Show at 12:05 and Late Night at 1:05.  Really NBC? So you marginalized the guys impact by having him fail at 10:00 PM and now you are just hoping you can get back the ratings you are losing to Letterman by moving him back? Even better why not further alienate the subsequent shows so that when their contracts expire they go running right into the arms of a competitor? BRILLIANT! All of this just to keep Leno in the fear that he’ll go elsewhere? You’ve already tarnished whatever good name he had, let him go already!

OK, I’ve said my piece. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty of what’s on TV this week.

MONDAY

CBS – 8:00 PM: It’s the big 100th episode of How I Met Your Mother. After the previous 99 other episodes will we really be any closer to meeting this guys wife? Nope.

NBC – 8:00 PM: If you didn’t get your fill of Chuck than you’re in luck because there’s another episode tonight! Chuck me if that isn’t just Chuck-tastic.

FOX – 9:00 PM: OK, I have no idea how Fringe could have an un-aired episode from last season but it did and it airs tonight.

NBC – 9:00 PM: Heroes, yeah, ok, seriously… who cares?

TUESDAY

FOX – 8:00 PM: Is there anything that really needs to be said about the return of American Idol?

NBC – 8:00 PM: It’s the second week on The Biggest Loser so this week they find out just how badly their weight is affecting their body AND they might barely lose weight or even gain it. Who knows?

ABC – 8:30 PM: Another week where Better Off Ted owns the :30 of each hour. I love it.

WEDNESDAY

TNT – 12:00 PM: How do you gear up for a new episode of Leverage? How about an 8 hour marathon? 

FOX – 8:00 PM: OK, there is one thing to say about the return of American Idol. Letting some of these people through to the auditon in front of the judges is just malicious and cruel.

ABC – 9:00 PM: After Claire finds dirty pics on the family PC Phil has some ‘splaining to do on Modern Family.

THURSDAY

NBC – 8:00 PM: Look, tonight is stunt casting nigth on NBC. Jack Black on  Community, Will Arnett on Parks & Recreation, and James Franco on 30 Rock. Oh yeah, no new The Office.

FOX – 8:00 PM: Bones goes alien tonight with The X in the File.

FX – 8:00 PM: If you haven’t already seen it why not take in The Simpsons Movie?

TMC – 8:00 PM: OK, maybe Donnie Brasco instead?

FRIDAY

THE CW – 8:00 PM: Must be close to the return of Smallville with tonight’s two episodes that aired right before the break.

FOX – 9:00 PM: The Hollow Man is the next to last ep of Dollhouse. My guess is that they are talkign about Boyd  in the title. Maybe?

SATURDAY

USA – 4:30 PM: A tough-guys-cold-heart-gets-melted-by-little-kids marathon hits with The Pacifier followed by The Game Plan. I’m sure it is all brought to you by The Spy Next Door (or Tooth Fairy).

NBC – 8:00 PM: I’ve never seen a single episode Mercy but the repeat tonight’s title is one of the best I’ve ever seen. I Saw this Pig and I Thought of You.

SUNDAY

NBC – 8:00 PM: Golden Globes will probably own the night. I’ll be interested to see what Ricky Gervais does with it.

FOX – 8:00 PM: How do you counter program The Golden Globes? Pure adrenaline. FOX rolls out Human Target and this new show I hear mixed reviews about called 24.

ABC – 9:00 PM: Are they really going to make Katherine sane on Desperate Housewives. Didn’t know you could come back that far from the deep end.

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January 8, 2010

Trailer Park: Zachary Levi – Part 1

By Christopher Stipp

The Archives, Right Here

I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right HERE for free.

Check out my new column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on TWITTER under the name: Stipp

bitch_slap_posterBitch Slap – Giveaway

When I was at Comic-Con a year and a half ago I can remember this being one of the most memorable interviews I ever conducted. I say conducted as I think conduct was what in order when I was told that the interview I was about to participate in was going to happen in bed.

Sure, you get that sinking feeling when you’re faced with having a conversation with three really lovely women about a movie that is being talked about with the kind of delight the film no doubt was going for. Part pulp, part exploitation, and all fun I don’t believe this movie will require you to do anything more than just enjoy the spoils of their labor.

To that end, and to celebrate the film’s debut today in theaters and on VOD, January 8th.

I’ve got a SIGNED Bitch Slap poster sporting the signatures of  Julia Voth, America Olivo, Erin Cummings, Kevin Sorbo and Zoe Bell, a SIGNED mini-sheet poster (just the girls), one unsigned poster and the full BITCH SLAP 11 card collectible set.

If you’re feeling randy just shoot me a line at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and I’ll enter you to win one of these prizes. And if you’re still unsure if this movie’s right for you just read the following synopsis:

Bitch Slap is a post-modern, thinking man’s throwback to the “B” Movie/Exploitation films of the 1950’s – 70’s as well as a loving, sly parody of the same.  Inspired by the likes of Dragstrip Girl;, Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill; Kung Fu Nun and the pantheon of Blaxploitation films, Bitch Slap will mix girls, guns, outrageous action and jaw-dropping visuals with a message”¦ don’t be naughty!

At its core, Bitch Slap follows three bad girls (a down-and-out stripper, a drug-running killer and a corporate powerbroker) as they arrive at a remote desert hideaway to extort and steal $200 Million in diamonds from a ruthless underworld kingpin.  Things quickly spin out of control as allegiances change, truths are revealed, other criminals arrive for the score, the fate of the world hangs in the balance and they are forced to confront a villain much worse than they ever expected”¦ themselves.  It’s the ultimate morality tale as, one by one, they realize the whole she-bang was a set-up and one of them may not even be human…

What also makes Bitch Slap different is a complicated “B” story device that runs throughout the film to illuminate character, backstory and relationship histories not previously revealed.  Like the film Memento, these scene flashbacks take place in reverse, so by the end of the film, you have a wholly different take on who these women are and why they are behaving so badly.  Bet you never saw THAT in Jailbait Babysitter!

So grab your popcorn and fasten your safety belt.  With “Cult Classic” written all over it, Bitch Slap is gonna be one wild ride”¦

Freestyle, IM Global and Epic Slap will premiere BITCH SLAP in theaters and VOD January 8, 2010

YOUTH IN REVOLT / LEAP YEAR – Review

leapOne insult after another with nary a punchline to be found.

What’s astounding about Leap Year, the latest in a long line of painful movies where we are to believe that a woman has mistakenly thought the love of her life is the man she’s with but that it’s not until they meet a strapping, charismatic man before they forsake everything they’ve built in their lives just to be with a stranger they invariably know for a relatively short period of time. It’s an insult to an audience to try and sell an idea that a woman (played by the usually charming Amy Adams) who is willing to fly, on her own accord, to Ireland in order to ask her boyfriend to marry her in a leap year in an act that seems passionate and kind and romantic and incredible yet manages to fall out of love with that man. It defies all rationality to think how a woman could do this yet Anand Tucker tries to sell a comedy that just seems sad, pathetic, and speaks ill of a heroine who just comes off as easily impressionable and just plain, well, easy.

Through a series of situations which exist and play out in farcical fashion, one such moment involves Adams indiscriminately destroying the world’s smallest hotel room and shoehorning a piece of a sub-plot which is there, I assume, to help those who have difficulty with pesky subtly and nuance, we are to trust in this tale of love that wasn’t meant to be yet obviously will.

The logistics that this movie defies is truly astounding and noteworthy. After not being able to find a rental car, in what I can only believe is some remote outpost of humanity but  exists mere hours away from a bustling metropolis of Dublin, Matthew Goode, who plays his one note character as best as one could expect, becomes the de facto transporter although he really, truly, doesn’t want to. The level of stupidity this script shows in its obviousness staggers the mind.

Love abounds, as it usually does, after a series of unbelievable moments that involve a wrecked car, stolen luggage, missed trains, an outdoor wedding reception (I thought this was February in Ireland), a forced kiss that betrays Adams’ purpose in the first place, and through tiny moments of revelation that show just how right these two are for one another when, in fact, it feels like how it would happen in a fairytale. At one point, after Adams seems trapped in a Bermuda Triangle when trying to find some mode of transport that will just get her to Dublin, she buys a ticket for a train that will take her there. She’s had enough of Goode, as is usually the case with a woman who feels she is being weighted down with a fop , and sits on the train’s platform. The train, we’re told, will take more than two hours to get to the station. Goode motions to Adams in taking a walk to the ruins of a castle where he can extemporaneously talk about the mythical history of the runs and, by proxy, explain how this story will end with the two of them together. Won’t take more than fifteen minutes, he says. She relents, goes, listens to the story, and, wouldn’t you know it, the train shows up. Running will do no good here, as would be the logical deduction that we just told the train wouldn’t be there for two plus hours, and there is nary an explanation as to what worm hole that train appeared from or what just happened. Compound this moment a dozen or so times and you’ve got yourself Leap Year.

How can Adams walk around Ireland at the end of February wearing nothing but a dress, high heels and a light overcoat with no problem at all? How can a dog bark without moving its head? Why on earth would she strip nude and shower in front of a stranger? How could she demolish a rented room without once noticing the detritus falling around her and stopping?  Your logic is no good here as you’d be a fool for trying to piece together the broken shards of this film.

Much like Gavin Hood straying from what he seemed to be strongest at, creating emotionally charged and deeply affective films, and instead deciding to craft a prosaic movie about a mutant with metal coming out of his hands, Tucker seems to want this kind of career pathing. This movie suffers from the kind of inane traps that plague bad romantic comedies but it’s ironic in that the movie engenders neither romance nor comedy. Sure, we are given situations where comedy is supposed to flourish, Adams finds herself blowing out a small village’s power supply after trying to plug in her BlackBerry, she accidentally destroys her guide’s car, she muddies herself after tumbling down a muddy mountain, but it’s all very ham fisted even by romantic comedy standards.

Much is made for fires and the one thing you would grab should you find your home engulfed in them. The importance of this is stressed like a mantra that is repeated over and over again in an effort, I am to believe, to make sure you absolutely positively get that this will be important later. At one point Adams’ great epiphany comes when she thinks about pulling the fire alarm in her posh new apartment after we learn that Scott only proposed marriage after finding out that the only way for them to get into the uber exclusive tenement, which required an interview with a committee at the beginning of the film, was to feign being married or at least on the road to it. Scott obviously comes off as the typical bad boyfriend who only cares about materialism, the fire alarm shows how he only wants to save his electronics (Gasp! He must not love her and must only worship false, electronic deities!), and the scene ultimately shows how bad the script written by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont actually is. To wit, the writing team who brought us Made of Honor, Surviving Christmas, Josie and the Pussycats, and The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas obviously feel comfortable with keeping expectations low as any movie that wants us to trust in their ability to give audiences something entertaining only end up failing, once again, to think this is anything but a movie for simple-minded bumpkins who don’t realize they’re being insulted.

youthYouth In Revolt, in contrast, only suffers from being too well-written.

Director Miguel Arteta ought to be praised for his ability to bring one of the best novels about adolescent lust gone wretchedly wrong in every way, the visual character he brought to Chuck & Buck and Star Maps is here in its essence, but there is a fundamental issue that hobbles this film from being the teenage classic it could be. It’s the expediency with which events transpire and then expire from the movie that only serves to confuse viewers who aren’t familiar with the life and times of Nick Twisp (Michael Cera) as he pursues the girl of his dreams, Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday), but the story is rife with comedic possibilities and the handling of the things that made the book wonderful only feel rushed here.

Writer Gustin Nash‘s hand feels present in every scene as we go from plot device to plot device, we aren’t allowed to let the story breathe on its own, as if Nash wanted to be sure to include as many bits as he could from the book in order to remain faithful to it. Who could blame him, at almost 500 pages there is an inordinate amount of laughs to be found within the pages as writer C.D. Payne developed this over sexed and overly intelligent protagonist with the flourish of a great storyteller, for wanting to do so but the result is a greatest-hits compilation of scenes that sometimes feel jarring as a viewer.

This isn’t to say the film is bad. Far from it. It’s perhaps one of the frankest explorations of what “good” young men have to do in order to satiate that side of themselves which, here, makes for good comedy. Nick is deftly played by Michael Cera, who is able to carry not only the meek personality which seems to come naturally to the actor but is able to transform into his daring alter ego, François Dillinger, with gentle ease. It’s Dillinger who had the greatest opportunity and latitude to go for the laughs in this movie and he does so with gusto. As he compels Nick to do what he is unwilling to do on his own, Cera morphs from a smart, frustrated boy into the kind of man we have never seen before on camera. You believe Cera is capable of the destruction and perversion he partakes in simply by playing off of himself with charisma and aplomb. From suggestive remarks about violating the body of his girlfriend, to possessing the affectations of an English speaking Frenchman with a pathological bent, the film is a delight when these two share the camera.

As well, Adhir Kalyan, who plays Nick’s friend Vijay Joshi, is a superb compliment to Cera as the two of them feed off one another in the kind of patois this film excels at when it’s not speeding through scenes. Again, we are briefly shown how these two become friends and aren’t really allowed to appreciate how vital Vijay is to what becomes one of the movie’s best set pieces. As an aside, I wish we would see more of Adhir as he’s more than competent to jostle with Cera for laughs on screen. However, a lot of the issues regarding this movie’s quick pace, however, stem from this movie’s first act.

Adapting the novel seemed too much for Nash as what we get in the first third of this movie is a lot of rushing. We move from one moment to the next, inserting pithy scenes from the book to fit the moment, without ever delving into the characters of the book or the implication of what it means in the grand scheme of things. It not only implicitly casts a pall on a book that is packed with pure comedy but, explicitly, it has the effect of cheapening this movie’s intent which is to show how one pervy boy with a pathological streak manipulates those around him. To wit, Zach Galifianakis plays one of Nick’s mom’s boyfriends. He is introduced, used for a few scenes, and is crumpled up just as quickly as he came on the screen like a piece of detritus that needs to be swept away in order to make room for other characters. This is the case for the rest of the movie, characters coming and going in order to introduce everyone in this book’s universe, along with their strange proclivities. Zach feels there almost in a utilitarian capacity as he’s the driving force to get Nick out of town so he can meet Sheeni, he’s the one who buys the camper that ultimately meets a fiery finish, and he conveniently meets his demise just at the right time in order to progress the journey. There’s nothing wrong with making every moment contribute to the whole, and for there to be reasons why something is in a movie, but the end result is mass confusion as these contrivances just make everything feel too convenient, too pat.

The issue that this movie never deals with, then, is why Nick and Sheeni are willing to go back and forth with this relationship. We know Nick’s reason for sure but it doesn’t ever feel genuine and it certainly doesn’t earn its ending which feels rushed and shoehorned in as if someone happened to look at their watch to see that the movie was about to break 90 minutes. We ought to feel the penultimate moment these two kids share is well-deserved but the way in which they finally consummate their relationship just doesn’t work.

It’s sad that the relationship that could have spoken to so many pent-up and sexually frustrated boys everywhere is relegated to the backseat of a movie that seems determined to drive the shortest route between two points instead of taking the longer, more scenic route. The result is a movie that certainly could have detailed the life of this young man on the road to finally getting some but it’s a journey that speeds by too fast to appreciate how we got there.

Zachary Levi of Chuck – Interview

I’m used to interviewing celebrities one time. Many of the times they’re enjoyable, sometimes they’re fantastic, and some other times are completely awful. It’s the latter ones where I secretly wish their career commits seppuku just to ensure I never even remotely have the chance to talk to them again.

Zachary Levi is a special case in that I have talked to him a handful of times and every time, absolutely every time, he’s just a kind, open, honest, naturally funny guy who doesn’t put up a superficial front and genuinely thinks about answers before he gives them. He also likes to talk. A lot. That’s really fine for me as when we had a chance to spend a long conversation talking about Chuck’s near demise and the future of network television in general last summer at Comic-Con there was a sense of calm with the actor about all the hullabaloo surrounding the show’s direction. He was passionate when talking about the effort a lot of fans put into making the public aware of the precarious position the show found itself in as it closed out it’s second season. So passionate was Levi about rolling up his shirt sleeves to save the show, Levi literally rolled up his shirt sleeves. Making sandwiches at Subway, coinciding with the series finale, it was a clever sponsorship drive that asked fans to purchase subs, writing a comment or two about how much they wanted the show to stay on the air, Levi didn’t let this oft abused rallying cry on the Internet to save yet another show go unnoticed.

It was this kind of effort, small as it may have been, that speaks volumes about the man who goes into work and gets to play a secret agent on TV every week.There is no affectation when he speaks, it’s just a guy talking about a career who’s just thankful to have one. It doesn’t seem like a lot but it’s conversations like this that remind me how much better interviews could be if people were just more, well, human.

Chuck is indeed back for its third season starting this Sunday night with a two-hour season premiere at 9/8c before returning to its regular night and time, January 11th at 8/7c.

chuckCS:  One of the things that marked this year, this season, for Chuck was the number of people who came out wanting to be sure the show was saved from the network chopping block.  What was your take on how that swell started?  I know a lot of people in your position would say “There’s nothing we can do about it” but what was it like to have all those people come out and say, “Please save the show?”

LEVI: It certainly gives you an appreciation of what you do.  Being a working actor and getting to do what I love to do is already awesome.    For the most part, no matter what you do somebody out there likes it and somebody out there will find you at some point and say “Hey, I love your work” even if it’s a horrible piece of crap, which is sometimes the case…

(Laughs)

But, with this I think we’ve collectively all been pretty proud of what we’ve accomplished ““ what we continue to accomplish.  So on top of just that and appreciating it that way and knowing that your fan base, your core demographic fan base which is ““ we live and die by Comic-Con ““ because Chuck would be here.  Chuck would be at the Chuck panel ““ which would be a very out of body experience.  Wait a minute?  That’s me!

CS:  There are hotel keys with your face on it”¦

LEVI:  I know man.  That has been that way for three years now.  Warner Bros. has done a great job at doing that.  All those little things certainly help.  I remember when Jerico was about to get canceled the first time and all the fans went crazy and they worked in unison and sent tons of peanuts to CBS and it worked.  It got 13 more episodes for Jerico.  But I feel like what’s happened is kind of like ““ and I’ve never seen it happen like this before ““ where a fan really had a kind of moment of genius – when some people sent Nerds, those little candy Nerds, to NBC which is all effective in some way because they are passionate fans, but at the end of the day it doesn’t change the problem.  It doesn’t solve the problem.

The problem is television is failing.

The formula doesn’t work anymore.  Back in the day you had 3 options.  CBS, NBC, and ABC and there was no cable, no DVR’s, no Internet, so if you were going to be home, which a lot of people were on any given night, Nielsen’s worked.  You could see a cross section there. 70% of the audience is going to be watching the Cheers finale and they have to watch the commercials through and in that way you could offer free entertainment like that.  You could force commercials down people’s throats but you can’t do that anymore.  So more and more people, especially audiences of a show like Chuck that are tech savy, are watching it online.  They are watching it on DVR and so, as much as I think they like to think that that still counts. It actually doesn’t. Even networks and studios say “Well, every little bit helps” but they know it doesn’t really work out that way.  Because, at the end of the day, advertisers are only looking at the live numbers.  They need to know if we spend this amount of money on advertising, who’s actually seeing those commercials.  And live numbers are the only ones that count.  Really.

So, it makes it very difficult.  The roundabout way of getting to our very dedicated fans, Wendy Farrington, a smart cool chick, she was watching the show one night and worried about the show getting canceled because that was the word on the street that it was on the chopping block. And she saw one of the scenes where Big Mike is chopping away on a Subway sandwich and thought, “If we can get enough fans to actually patronize one of the main sponsors, actually spending money that directly connects to, it’s not just wasting your money on peanuts or Nerds and making some statement.  “So what if we’re not watching the commercials.  We know who is behind the show and we will spend money and buy their product?”  So she came up with this idea, wrote it up, came up with a mission statement and that got picked up virally basically by everybody.  Some of my fan sites asked for my take on it and I told them what I’m telling you, that I think it’s a fantastic idea.  It’s a real idea and not just people swarming their fists around saying, “No, no, please don’t.”  We get it.

zachary-levi-meb2009The rubber has got to meet the road somewhere.  And so that, mixed with a couple other variables, allowed us to come back for a 3rd season.  I think it’s really kind of blazed a trail and I think if network television is going to survive in this new DVR, internet, downloadable world, why not like that?  Why not just have one main sponsor and harken back to what TV used to be?  How about Borax? I don’t know.  But as long as it’s an easily consumable product. Unfortunately for car makers, you can’t be a Toyota and hope that people will go buy a Civic, or a Celica, I mean.  All of that combined to create a perfect storm of this is really happening.  It was weird because at first your pride takes a hold a little bit.  You think, “Why aren’t we picked up?  We are a good show and critics like us, a lot of critics love us, our fans love us, and yes, we only do 7 million live but there’s a number 5 if you count all the DVRs and download and DVD purchases.  That’s a lot of people.  Right?”

So, at first I was a little bummed.  I thought it just sucked that this show gets picked up right away and this show is back and we’re still waiting and hanging on but as we went through this whole process what I realized is A) it gave me an appreciation for what we do, like I was saying because it’s humbling especially today.  Being out there in front of a packed hall of 4,000 fans that are dedicated to the show and that’s just a sampling because there are people that stood in line but couldn’t make it into the room and what we do impacts them in some way enough for them to be there with us today and it’s really, really, really humbling and to be here at Comic-Con because we live and die by these very fans that joined the cause and picked up the torch or whatever analogy or metaphor ““ it’s only right that whatever time we can spend with them to say, “Thank you.  I only have a job today because you guys cared enough to Tweet about it or blog about it or emailed it to other friends.”

We also have fans that just bug the heck out of their families and friends ““ check out Chuck ““ did you see Chuck? ““ Chuck, Chuck, Chuck, you know?

(Laughs)

LEVI: I was telling a reporter and the lady from the Chicago Tribune ““ and people like yourself ““ anyone in the media who through all that and before we went on the chopping block, during the season we’ve gotten a lot of love and I’m sure their viewers were saying, “OK, enough of this freakin’ Chuck ““ I get it, you like the show, OK.”  But they are constantly plugging the show and constantly giving us love.  So I really feel that, not that we are the first to stick around because of that kind of love ““ Arrested Development stuck around because of critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base, and winning a couple of trophies didn’t hurt – but even despite that it wasn’t enough for Fox to keep them around, so three seasons and then it was done.  And there are people that still today say, “How could they possible do that?  It was the best show on television.”  And it was.  It was an incredible show but it was ahead of it’s time I think.  And being ahead of your time isn’t always the best thing because audiences still hadn’t caught on to the single camera comedy in that way.  Scrubs has stayed around and weathered some storms and now it’s going to keep going and I’m sure there are fans that are really happy about that.  Then also, so through the process I went from being like that really sucks that we weren’t renewed to seeing all the outcry and outpouring of the love of our fan base and the critics because everybody picked it up: Entertainment Weekly, and E, and TV Guide, and People.  The show that might go away”¦it’s Chuck.  And then I realized that we are getting lots of free press out of this.  This is really good.  And then you start to think about it in the bigger scheme of things like stuff that only later on in hindsight ““ you think clearly God had a bigger plan than all this because now this is keeping us fresh in people’s minds because we are not going to be on the air again until March 1st possibly and that’s all I know.

CS:  That’s like another writers strike.

LEVI: Yes.  Fortunately it won’t be that long until we go back to work but nonetheless, that’s a long time off the air.  We certainly benefited tremendously from not being quietly renewed in the night.  We fought for it.  Our fans fought for it.  Our critical fans fought for it and we’re back.  And, I feel like because of that, now it’s almost like our fans are part owners of the show.  They are all shareholders.  “Yeah, we fought for that and we got that back.”  It wasn’t just because the numbers were so great that 15 million people are watching it and of course you are going to get renewed.  No man, it was the strong, the proud, the Marines”¦

(Laughs)

LEVI: And nerds everywhere.  When I was in the UK right before the finale I was in Birmingham ““ Adam Baldwin and I were at a Comi-Con out there and doing some signings and stuff and it was right before the finale and my publicist was calling me saying that a lot of people are asking, both editorial and fan sites, asking what we are going to do for the finale.  “Are you going to do a footlong finale thing with the grassroots thing?” and the girl who started the thing was in the UK and I met her there for the first time.  I think she was from Philadelphia and there happened to be a Subway there.  I didn’t even know they had them there because it’s called the Underground there.

(Laughs)

Win THE SIMPSONS: SEASON 20 on DVD!

Filed under: Contests — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 6:33 am

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In conjunction with Fox Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of THE SIMPSONS: SEASON 20 on DVD.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 20th.

CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Official Rules

No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

No Purchase necessary to win.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 20th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

Weekend Shopping Guide 1/8/10: Kung Fu Fightin’

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The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the FRED Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…

(Please support FRED by using the links below to make any impulse purchases – it helps to keep us going…)

It’s been a long, long, LONG wait, but the fine folks at Cinematic Titanic make a strong return with their road-tested riff of the awkward merging of both Kung-Fu AND Blaxsploitation, all wrapped in a model of poor filmmaking and worse acting… I give you East Meets Watts (Cinema Titan, Not Rated, DVD-$14.99). Not only is the riffing tight, but this is also the first Cinematic Titanic Live release, which was recorded in front of a live audience. And it works a charm. Now let’s speed up those releases, guys!

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I’ve never owned a good cooking knife in my life. Usually, I’ll hack meat and vegetables with a steak knife, ’cause that’s all I’ve got. Every time I’ve tried to buy a better knife, I’ve always chosen poorly, and wound up with a quick-dulling instrument that just sends me right back to my trusty serrated hacksaws. Well, now I’ve seen the light – and it’s not metal. No, it’s Ultrasharp Ceramic Knives ($74.99). The blade is sharp – really sharp – and it never dulls. How sweet is that? And not only do you get the blade – you also get a ceramic bladed peeler… You know, for peeling stuff. Stuff! Peeled!

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It’s not a kiddie movie, but I certainly saw it as a kid, and I still love the anarchic blackness that permeates one of the most offbeat holiday flicks to ever hit screens, Gremlins (Warner Bros., Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$28.99 SRP). In fact, it was this – along with Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom (interestingly enough, both Amblin pics) that helped usher in the PG-13 rating. Now in full high-definition, bonus features include a pair of audio commentaries, a making-of featurette, additional scenes, a gallery, and trailers.

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No one rants with quite the same vigor – and accessibility – as Charlie Brooker. Like a cross between Mark Twain and a riled wasps nest, Brooker’s regular column in the Guardian is an ongoing social commentary that inspires equal parts knowing laughter and sympathetic bile. Don’t believe me? Pick up the latest collection – The Hell Of It All (Guardian Books/Faber & Faber, £12.99 SRP) and read for yourself.

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How sweet is it that we’re actually a dozen volumes in to the The Complete Peanuts? What seemed like it would take forever to accomplish – the presentation of the entire run of Charles Schulz’s classic strip – now seems to be flying by, as we can all dive into The Complete Peanuts: 1973 to 1974 (Fantagraphics, $28.99 SRP), and cast our vote for Sack. He’s the greatest. Now bring on the next volume!

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If their continued collections of Peanuts weren’t enough to earn Fantagraphics the love and adoration of comics fans the world over, then their beautiful collections of the EC Segar strips starring his cantankerous, shambling sailor should secure that place within their hearts. The 4th collection – Popeye: Plunder Island (Fantagraphics, $29.99 SRP) – has as its centerpiece the titular adventure, presented for the first time in full color, completely uncut.

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It’s refreshing to upend the traditional romantic comedy formula and look at how unpredictable love can actually be with 500 Days Of Summer (Fox, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.98 SRP), which brings together Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel as the awkward pair. Bonus materials include an audio commentary and deleted/extended scenes. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) is also available with additional featurettes, interview, audition tapes, and more.

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While Office Space has become an instant classic and even the marginalized Idiocracy has become a cult flick, Mike Judges latest, Extract (Miramax, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP), is a bit scattershot. While the ensemble is top notch – Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Kristin Wiig, and Ben Affleck – the story, about the sale of a small-town flavor extract company that begins to fall apart around the owner (Bateman), doesn’t ever really gel. Which is a shame, because all of the ingredients are there. Bonus materials include a featurette and deleted/extended scenes.

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What do you do when you’re a network with a surprise hit on your hands? You don’t wait around for your debut season to wrap before you rush out a DVD collection featuring the first half of said season – and that’s what we’ve got with Glee: Season 1 Volume 1 (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). The 4-disc box set contains 13 episodes, plus audition pieces, featurettes, a casting session, and more. Yes, you know you want this set. You know you’re a fan. ADMIT IT.

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Catch up on your TV viewing over the holiday break with both the 3rd and final season of the sci-fi show Kyle XY (ABC Studios, Not Rated, DVD-$39.99 SRP) and the 3rd season of The Secret Life Of The American Teenager (ABC Studios, Not Rated, DVD-$39.99 SRP). Kyle XY features audio commentaries, a featurette, and deleted scenes, while Teenager gets the pilot episode and a Q&A.

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It came and went from theaters with only the slightest of notice – a disappointment, considering it was the theatrical follow-up to Juno from screenwriter Diablo Cody. Which is a shame, as Jennifer’s Body (Fox, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) is a goofy little bit of teenage horror that brought fond memories of the equally B The Faculty. Give it a spin at home. Bonus features include audio commentaries, deleted scenes, video diaries, featurettes, and more.

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Check another series off your running list, as we’ve come to the release of the 7th and final season of Mission: Impossible (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$49.99 SRP). Will Jim Phelps (Peter Graves) finally encounter an impossible mission? Or we he wind up doing links on A&E in just a few short years? Watch the 22 episodes in this set regardless of the answer.

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Oh, what I wouldn’t do to put a bullet through the sadly long-lived American Pie franchise, which has now moved into American Pie Presents The Book Of Love (Universal, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$36.98 SRP), if only to free Eugene Levy from whatever cursed existence binds him to these flicks. Bonus features include featurettes, trivia, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.

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What was just about the last season of the show turned out to be just another one after it was picked up, so now you can rest easy as you partake of Chuck: The Complete Second Season (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP), knowing that it’s not the last. Also? 3-D episode! Bonus features include a bevy of featurettes, webisodes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.

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It’s the second volume of The Fugitive‘s third season (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), and we’ve reached the point where Dr. Richard Kimble discovers the identity of the elusive one-armed man, just as pursuer Lt. Phillip Gerard decides to employ… A COMPUTER!… to track the good doctor down. The 4-disc set contains 15 episodes.

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The regular episodes are often painful scattershot, but the focus of their Star Wars episodes seems to bring out the best in Seth MacFarlane & company, as you can see for yourself with Family Guy: Something, Something, Something Dark Side (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$22.98 SRP). Bonus features include an audio commentary, fact-ups, a featurette, and a sneak peek at a table read. A Blu-Ray edition ($29.99 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus features.

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Go all the way back to the days of Wendy, Marvin, & Wonder Dog with the first volume from the premiere season of the original Super Friends! (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP). Journey back via this 2-disc set featuring 8 episodes plus a newly produced super fan workout, the “Super Friends Trivia Challenge”.

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I remember when The Green Mile (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP) was originally released on VHS, in a bulky 2-tape set during the last gasp of that format before DVDs came on the scene. Even the original DVD release suffered from the film’s length, with a featureless release. Well, now that it’s come to Blu-Ray, it’s all on one disc, which also contains an audio commentary, a documentary, additional scenes, make-up tests, a look at the teaser trailer, Michael Clarke Duncan’s screen test, and more. How’s the for progress?

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I’d like to say that Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs: The Totally Warped Animated Adventures (MGM/UA, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP) is a glorious disaster, but it’s not. It’s just a sad, poorly written series that sullies the memory of Brooks’ 80’s guilty pleasure. Unfortunate.

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Christmas is dead and buried, so that means we start getting releases like a special edition of Winnie The Pooh: A Valentine For You (Walt Disney, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP) which, as you can imagine, is the 2/14 themed outing for that willy nilly silly old bear. As far as bonus features go, it’s pretty much just an episode from The New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh.

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It’s all hit the fan in the third season of Big Love (HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP), as Bill Henrickson’s carefully constructed family and business ventures begin to erode from pressures outside and in. The 4-disc set contains all 10 episodes, plus a trio of mini-dramas and four direct-to-camera videos from Bill and his three wives.

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Wrap up the season that brought in Rob Estes, Alyssa Milano, and Lisa Rinna (and showed the door to Grant Show, Marcia Cross, & Laura Leighton) with Melrose Place: The Fifth Season Volume 2 (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$36.99 SRP). The 3-disc set contains 13 episodes, but zero bonus features.

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It’s not good cinema, but the flicks contained in Roger Corman’s Best Of The B’s Collection 1 (Infinity, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP) certainly are memorably bad. This 4-disc pack contains seven remastered Corman films starring the likes of Gary Busey, Jack Nicholson, Scott Glenn – Naked Angels, Bury Me An Angel, The Fast And The Furious, The T-Bird Gang, The Wild Ride, The Winner, and Angels Hard As They Come.

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It never fails to bring a warm feeling when one of those Sunday afternoon flicks that used to permeate my youth gets all cleaned and gussied up and finds its way into high-definition. Certainly those warm feelings come from The Green Berets (Warner Bros., Rated G, Blu-Ray-$28.99 SRP), starring John Wayne in the first feature to focus on the Vietnam War. Bonus materials include a vintage featurette and the original theatrical trailer.

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It doesn’t happen often enough, but Taxi (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) managed, with its fifth & final season, to go out on a strong note without anyone feeling that the show overstayed its welcome. The cracks were showing, granted – and Any Kaufman’s off-camera behavior was causing some issues on set – but it remains one of those timeless, character-based sitcoms that are just as funny today as it was over 25 years ago. The 3-disc set also contains episode and series promos.

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David Tennant’s era as The Doctor has just come to a close, but there’s still plenty of classic Doctor adventures still in the pipeline. The newest releases to keep you warm (if the scarf isn’t enough) is the William Hartnell era Doctor Who: The Keys Of Marinus and the Colin Baker era The Twin Dilemma (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP each). Both discs are packed with bonus materials, including featurettes, audio commentaries, galleries, and more.

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It’s not for your younger kiddies, but there’s enough inventiveness and beauty of execution to make 9 (Universal, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$39.98 SRP) a film worth showing to kids. It’s post-apocalyptic world and ragtag band of decidedly non-traditional survivors are that special kind of inspiration that will spark a child’s imagination. Bonus materials include the original 11-minute short, an audio commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes, and more.

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With the resurgence of 3-D, particularly in horror films, it was only a matter of time before the Final Destination franchise decided to go all cine-poky with The Final Destination In 3-D (New Line, Rated R, DVD-$28.98 SRP). You pretty much know the deal by now – it’s a pissy Death getting all postal on some young schlubs. Bonus features are limited to some additional scenes. A Blu-Ray edition ($35.99 SRP) is also available, which adds a pair of alternate endings, a pair of featurettes, and a look at the atrocious-looking new Nightmare On Elm Street.

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You can feel the end coming on as the 9th season of 7th Heaven (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$49.99 SRP) rolls along, as members of the Camden clan come and go, many no more than glorified recurring characters or cameos. The 5-disc set contains all 22 episodes.

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Since getting the Disney license, the fine folks at Electric Tiki (distributed by the fine folks at Sideshow Collectibles) have been making some unique choices for their statue line. First there was Darkwing Duck, then Jessica Rabbit in an unused costume from one of the Roger Rabbit shorts, then the Rescue Rangers. Most unique, though, and welcome is Alice In Wonderland & The White Rabbit ($124.99), done in the style of Disney designer Mary Blair (perhaps most famous for designing the It’s A Small World attraction).

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So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…

-Ken Plume

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Ken P. D. Snyde-Cast #129: We’re Flexible

Filed under: Ken P.D. Snydecast — Tags: , , , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 12:41 am

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Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and Quick Stop Entertainment’s Ken Plume set out to have a literate conversation between two pals, but inevitably devolve into a verbal, and funny, free-for-all full of bickering, infighting, and the special kind of male bonding that comes from conflict expressed through the podcast medium.

Actor/comedian/raconteur Dana Snyder, you’re certainly aware, is Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Master Shake, Squidbillies‘ Granny, Minoriteam’s Dr. Wang, and The Venture Bros.‘ Alchemist. Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs (bat availability pending), you can keep tabs on him via his website, www.eyeofthesnyder.com.

Ken Plume is the editor-in-chief here at FRED. He is a friend of Dana’s, as well as his arch-nemesis.

VISIT THE SNYDECAST EXPERIENCE

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KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #129: We’re Flexible – Ken & Dana return fresh-tailed and bushy faced to launch into a brand new year of scintillating conversation. Unfortunately, they somehow come to believe they’re hosting a sad, sad episode of TOP GEAR.

[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #129 (MP3 format)

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/snydecast/ken_p_d_snyde_cast-129.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

Got something to say? E-mail Dana & Ken at the Snydecast mailbag.

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CLICK HERE FOR THE SNYDECAST ARCHIVES

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January 7, 2010

Contest Round-Up: 2010-01-06

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Welcome to our weekly round-up of featured giveaways here at FRED. Every Wednesday, we’ll present a new clutch of DVDs, books, and other cool stuff you can take a shot at winning. All you have to do is click on the graphics below to be taken to their respective contest pages. And good luck!

In conjunction with Sideshow Collectibles, we’re giving away an ELVIS PRESLEY Premium Format Figure.

In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) sets of TOP GEAR: SEASON 11 and TOP GEAR: SEASON 12 on DVD.

In conjunction with Shout Factory, we’re giving away three (3) copies of TRANSFORMERS: SEASON 2 VOLUME 2 on DVD.

In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) copies of ROBIN HOOD: SEASON 3 on DVD.

In conjunction with Fox Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of THE SIMPSONS: SEASON 20 on DVD.

Win ROBIN HOOD: SEASON 3 on DVD!

Filed under: Contests — Tags: , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 12:04 am

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In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) copies of ROBIN HOOD: SEASON 3 on DVD.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 20th.

CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Official Rules

No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

No Purchase necessary to win.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 20th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

January 6, 2010

Win TRANSFORMERS: SEASON 2 VOLUME 2 on DVD!

Filed under: Contests — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 11:53 pm

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In conjunction with Shout Factory, we’re giving away three (3) copies of TRANSFORMERS: SEASON 2 VOLUME 2 on DVD.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 20th.

CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Official Rules

No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

No Purchase necessary to win.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 20th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

Win TOP GEAR: SEASON 11 & TOP GEAR: SEASON 12 on DVD!

Filed under: Contests — Tags: , , , , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 11:37 pm

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In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) sets of TOP GEAR: SEASON 11 and TOP GEAR: SEASON 12 on DVD.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 20th.

CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Official Rules

No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

No Purchase necessary to win.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 20th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

Win an ELVIS PRESLEY Premium Format Figure from Sideshow Collectibles!

Filed under: Contests — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 11:22 pm

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In conjunction with Sideshow Collectibles, we’re giving away an ELVIS PRESLEY Premium Format Figure.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 20th.

Sideshow Collectibles is proud to present Elvis, the biggest-selling solo recording star of all time, in this 1:4 scale Premium Format figure. This astonishingly lifelike, mixed-media figure depicts The King of Rock n’ Roll as he appears in his ’68 Comeback Special, one of his most remembered performances. The Elvis Presley Premium Format Figure features a hand-cast polystone body, hand painted to exacting standards and fully costumed in expertly tailored real fabric clothing. Each piece is individually hand-finished and hand-numbered with the edition size. The Elvis Premium Format figure is sure to be the centerpiece of any Elvis collection and stand among the highest quality reproduction of the King of Rock n’ Roll to date.

PLEASE NOTE: If you enter this contest, you are also signing up for Sideshow Collectibles’ newsletter. You can always unsubscribe whenever you want, but it’s full of great news, giveaways, exclusives, and announcements.

CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Official Rules

No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

No Purchase necessary to win.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 20th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

Bagged & Boarded 43: Out With The Gnu

Filed under: Bagged & Boarded — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 7:29 am

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What happens when two young men let their love of movies, comic books, and all things “geek” take over their lives? They run away from their families, bringing only the most essential DVDs and comics to their secret, highly fortified underground bunker in sunny Southern California, where they start recording podcasts that will change the world.

Are they heroes?

No.

Are they geniuses?

Far from it.

Are they the future of this planet?

I sure hope not.

Simply put… Matt Cohen and Jesse Rivers are “Bagged and Boarded”.

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BAGGED & BOARDED #43: Out With The Gnu – In which Matt presents a very special look back at the year that was 2009. All the laughs, all the tears – all the sandwiches. Ring this…

[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #43 (MP3 format)

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/baggedboarded/bagged_boarded-43.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

Got something to say? E-mail Matt & Jesse at the B & B mailbag.

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CLICK HERE FOR THE BAGGED & BOARDED ARCHIVES

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January 5, 2010

A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & Paul & Storm

Filed under: A Bit Of A Chat With Ken Plume,Interviews — Tags: , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:00 am

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I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

In this episode, I chat with musical comedy duo Paul & Storm

Hope you enjoy…

Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Paul & Storm“:

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-paul_and_storm.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

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Drop Ken a line HERE.

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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.

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January 4, 2010

TV Or Not TV: 1/4 – 1/10

Filed under: TV Or Not TV — Tags: — admin @ 5:57 am

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Welcome to another year of TV or Not TV where I’m amazed at what I will sit around and watch.

This past week I was on vacation, but not the traditional vacation that you might invision. Some people like to go away from their home for several days and wear themselves out running around and doing things under the guise of having fun. Clearly, explained that way, you can see what I mean by that not being a vacation. Who can relax with all those activities and other nonsense? Not me. I did what every sane person would do: I took time off of work and I stayed home.

In the interest of full disclosure I have to tell you that the majority of the time what I really spent my time doing was getting immersed in the world of the Lego Star Wars saga. Yes the prequels sucked but when you play them in Lego fashion they are actually quite entertaining, but I digress.

When I wasn’t busy using the force I was watching movies on Blu-Ray, DVD and my Roku box. I watched all kinds of movies ranging from…. oh wait, this is a TV column and not a movie review column. Nuts. There went what I planned on writing about.

All kidding aside what I love doing when I’m spending vacation at home during a holiday break is to find marathons of TV shows to get my couch potato on with. The only problem with hunting out these marathons is that they have to involve shows I haven’t already watched. What is the sense of sitting around the house and watching things you’ve already watched (like all five season of LOST…. hey, I have an excuse! The show is almost over)? This puts the viewing options back on the lap of DVD or some accidental discovery. Thanks to A&E I had one such accidental discovery.

Last Wednesday I sat around just about the entire day watching DOG the Bounty Hunter. I, in my vaguest of memories, did peripherally watch one episode of this show while surfing my laptop. I didn’t pay it much mind. This time I got sucked in to the show.

Early on in the marathon the show was really entertaining as DOG and his crew played their game of cat and mouse with bail jumpers in both Hawaii and Denver, Colorado.  DOG and his family also provided plenty of entertainment on their own both while on the chase and off. For at least two solid hours I was completely hooked.

Somewhere around hour three I started to realize that what was really happening was me being sucked in to edited and fabricated drama. Most of the time you spend watching the show the cat and mouse action doesn’t really exist. What you have is lots of cat action, where the cat is looking for a mouse but might not be in the right place and right time and even though the cat seems to be doing a lot to give the impression that something is happening even when it isn’t. Finally the cat is in the right spot at the right time, there’s a quick pounce, and the cat has the mouse and then attempts to perform an intervention with the mouse to explain to the mouse how it has been living life wrong as a mouse before it eventually lets the mouse go. After I came to this realization (and really crappy analogy) I felt the same way I do after eating an entire tray of brownies: very unfulfilled and I realized I just spent my time doing something that won’t benefit me.

What did I learn from this? Nothing really, it’s TV for gosh sakes. It’s not trying to teach me a thing. It just helps distract me when I eat brownies.

Now that we’ve taken that very odd turn let’s see what the exciting world of television has to offer to us.

MONDAY

ABC – 8:00 PM: It’s a brand new season and train wreck as The Bachelor starts up again with a pilot looking for his one true… uh… whatever she is. They’ve even yucked it up by calling it On the Wings of Love. Maybe I’ll try to stomach watching it this season.

NBC – 8:00 PM: I know, why am I recommending Heroes still? I have on idea really. I’m just curious to see what they do to send of Nathan now that he’s been dead since last season.

ABC – 10:00 PM: I wonder how the great entertainers of the golden age of television would feel to know that one day a reality show named Conveyor Belt of Love would exist.

TUESDAY

NBC – 8:00 PM: It’s a New Year and a new season of The Biggest Loser. This season is all about family couples and just like seasons past they are bringing out some of the biggest contestants we’ve ever seen. I’m in, as always.

ABC – 8:00 PM: If you can stomach the new Scrubs at the top of each hour you can enjoy two episodes of Better Off Ted at the bottom of each hour.

HIST – 10:00 PM: Life After People returns with an examination of what happens to the relics of religion over time if humans suddenly were to disappear. I just hope the Shroud of Turin doesn’t become a pigeon’s nest.

WEDNESDAY

FOX – 8:00 PM: Two more repeats of Glee fill in until American Idol returns.

CBS – 8:00 PM: Celebrities try to fool the public into thinking they are regular schlubs like us performing menial jobs in I Get That a Lot.

FX – 10:00 PM: The final season of Nip/Tuck premieres tonight. Wait, didn’t the last season end like three weeks ago?!?

THURSDAY

SYFY – 5:00 PM: 8 hours of Chuck repeats from season 2 tries to get us in the mood for the Buy More employee’s return on the 10th! Everything else is in repeats anyway so this is good watching people.

VH1 – 10:00 PM: Celebrity Rehab returns with Dr. Drew trying to help Heidi Fleiss, her former beau Tom Sizemore, Dennis Rodman and fresh off her shocking book tour Mackenzie Phillips. I feel like I need a shower after just typing about this one.

FRIDAY

TCM – 6:00 AM: Today Elvis would have been 75, so TCM is rolling out an all day marathon of his movies.

FOX – 9:00 PM: They are setting the stage for the beginning of the end on Dollhouse tonight. ’nuff said?

ABC – 9:00 PM: The vicious panel of would-be investors returns with tonight’s return of Shark Tank.

SATURDAY

ABC – 8:00 PM: If you are beating yourself up over missing the season premiere of The Bachelor than ABC is giving you a second chance tonight.

BBCA – 8:00 PM: If you missed the premiere of Demons after the final David Tennant episode of Dr. Who last night you have a chance to catch it again tonight before the second ep airs at 9.

SUNDAY

FOX – 8:30 PM: Super Size Me documentarian Morgan Spurlock delves deep into Springfield’s most famous family in The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special: In 3D! On Ice!

TLC – 9:oo PM: Harrison Ford narrates Brace for Impact where we hear Captain Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III and others recount the Hudson River landing of US Airways Flight 1549.

NBC – 9:00 PM: It’s the two hour season premiere of the upgraded Chuck flunking out of spy school. Grab Subway for dinner if you’re glad the show is back.

Will Wilkins just met Fred.

 

January 1, 2010

Paul Dini’s JINGLE BELLE: #03

Filed under: Jingle Belle — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 1:44 am

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Santa Claus gets along with every child except one ““ his own feisty teen-age daughter, JINGLE BELLE. Jingle’s creator Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series, Gotham City Sirens) and illustrator Stephanie Gladden (Hopster’s Tracks, Girls of Monster Paradise) will be presenting ALL NEW weekly Jing strips here at FRED. Check in each Thursday for more arctic antics!

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CLICK BELOW FOR THIS WEEK’S STRIP

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Jingle Belle and all related characters ™ & ® 2009 Paul Dini all rights reserved

December 31, 2009

Ken P. D. Snyde-Cast #128: Trust Us That It’s Happy New Year

Filed under: Ken P.D. Snydecast — Tags: , , , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 8:27 pm

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Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and FRED’s Ken Plume set out to have a literate conversation between two pals, but inevitably devolve into a verbal, and funny, free-for-all full of bickering, infighting, and the special kind of male bonding that comes from conflict expressed through the podcast medium.

Actor/comedian/raconteur Dana Snyder, you’re certainly aware, is Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Master Shake, Squidbillies‘ Granny, Minoriteam’s Dr. Wang, and The Venture Bros.‘ Alchemist. Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs (bat availability pending), you can keep tabs on him via his website, www.eyeofthesnyder.com.

Ken Plume is the editor-in-chief here at FRED. He is a friend of Dana’s, as well as his arch-nemesis.

VISIT THE SNYDECAST EXPERIENCE

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KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #128: Trust Us That It’s Happy New Year – Ken & Dana return with their year-end wrap-up, wherein much bitterness and recrimination is wiped away, to be replaced by all new bitterness and recrimination. Huzzah!

[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #128 (MP3 format)

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SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

Got something to say? E-mail Dana & Ken at the Snydecast mailbag.

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CLICK HERE FOR THE SNYDECAST ARCHIVES

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December 28, 2009

Party Favors: French Fried

Filed under: Interviews,Joe Corey's Party Favors — Tags: , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:07 am

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PARIS – When you want to escape to the Riviera without spending the vacation time, you can always catch a foreign film that captures the sea, sun and fun. The Girl From Monaco transports us to the principality nestled along the French coastline.

Fabrice Luchini plays a Parisian lawyer who heads to the coast to defend a client accused of killing a Russian mobster. He gets distracted from the courthouse drama by a local weather girl (Louise Bourgoin). Can he get his mind back on the homicide? Or has he gone on vacation?

The film is now out on DVD from Magnolia Home Entertainment. Director Anne Fontaine was willing to answer a few questions via email. Fontaine had been an actress in French cinema during the ’80s before stepping behind the camera as a writer-director. She also recently wrote and directed critically praised Coco Before Chanel.

Party Favors: What was it like to direct Fabrice Luchini? Where there any references you used for him to understand the mindset of his character?

Fontaine: I’ve known Fabrice Luchini for 25 years or so. We’ve been close friends all that time, and also worked together: I helped him to stage a monologue performance based on Louis-Ferdinand Céline. We toured the show here and there, including Monaco… The character of Betrand shares a number of traits with real-life Fabrice. So he had no problem understanding the part. His issues had more to do with the fear of exposing too much of himself. He was concerned with self-caricature, or self-indulgence.

Party Favors: What made you realize that Louise Bourgoin was the right temptress for the part?

Fontaine: I met with dozens of actresses, most of them more experienced than Louise… She combines several qualities, that are usually not going together: she is beautiful yet funny, sexy yet chic, versatile yet recognizable… It’s her ability to feature such diversity that makes her attractive.

Party Favors: Is her style in forecasting the weather popular in the region?

Fontaine: No, that’s completely fictitious. And, unlike in the US, France has no local TV stations worth the name.

Party Favors: What did you do to make sure the film didn’t become a sex farce?

Fontaine: I tried and led the actors to understand, support and care for their characters. I believe that when a relationship is genuine and “caring” between the actor and the part, the risk of being superficial (or “farcical”) is greatly reduced.

Party Favors: What made you want to keep the score minimal?

Fontaine: I don’t think it’s that minimal ( 20 minutes or so), but it’s restricted to the last third of the film. I wanted it to signal a change of tone, and a new shade in the story, as in “we’ve been mostly light and carefree until now, but there’s trouble ahead…”.

Party Favors: Is there a term for people who arrive on the Mediterranean coast and forget themselves like “going native”?

Fontaine: Not that I know of… the other way round (people from the provinces “going Parisian”) is more frequent, actually!

Party Favors: Do you ever look at a promotional still of yourself on the set with the actors and ponder if you should have cast yourself in a role?

Fontaine: I’ve been an actress a long time ago. Neither very successful, nor very good…And today, I feel much too busy on the set to think of myself in any other capacity. I’ve done a couple of cameos, not that long ago, for other directors. That’s fine. But I wouldn’t be comfortable casting myself!

Party Favors: How long did you scout locations?

Fontaine: The scouting proper was not very long ( two weeks, or so). But I’ve been to Monaco (which is tiny, anyway) a number of times, so I knew the area quite well.

Party Favors: Is it more expensive to shoot in Monaco versus Paris?

Fontaine: By and large, it’s comparable to the posh areas in Paris.

Party Favors: What did you learn from making “The Girl from Monaco” that you used in Coco Before Chanel?

Fontaine: Hard to tell specifically… I would only say that, in my opinion, unlearning is as crucial as learning.

Party Favors: Do French women actually not care if their husbands have mistresses or is that a myth spread by American husbands wanting to use your culture as a “good example” of why their wives shouldn’t attack them with golf clubs?

Fontaine: I’m not sure general rules really apply to these matters.

MICK IS STONED AGAIN?

With Ron Wood completely falling apart, seems the Rolling Stones are ready to cut him loose. Who could replace him without the Stones being reduced to a trio with backing musicians making another obvious cash grab tour?

Our dubious connection that watched an episode of Knights of Prosperity says Mick Taylor is coming back after splitting 35 years ago.

The Stones have had their spies lurking at Taylor’s club gigs scouting to see if he could be cleaned up and physically handle a World stadium tour. They understand the buzz of this reunion could help make this more than the usual “see the Stones before they finally retire” buzz.

The Mick Taylor era is when the Stones earned their title as the greatest live band ever. The man brought the voodoo chords to “Brown Sugar” and “Midnight Rambler.” Just dig up the King Biscuit Flower Hour recordings of their ’73 European tour and feel the power.

The ultimate plan for the tour is to have Bill Wyman rejoin them for a massive Wembley Stadium special. It’s a ’69 Stones reunion. One unnamed promoter declared that the TV rights would net as much as a Mike Tyson title fight.

Nothing is solid, but with the amount of cash and attention that could be gained from such a move, Jagger and Richards aren’t in their usual “we don’t want to look back” attitude. This will also patch up their public black eye from the recent articles about how the Stones screwed Mick Taylor out of his royalties.

The back up player if Mick Taylor can’t handle it: Eric Clapton. They don’t want to have to pay out Clapton cash. After Clapton the rumored guitarist will be a recent graduate of the School of Rock as part of an internship deal.

MORE AWARDS

Bob Crane Father of the Year Award goes to Tiger Woods. For months it seemed like Jon Gosselin had locked this title up. But in a historic post-Thanksgiving run, the golfing great came out of nowhere to inhale all the bad will generated by Jon upon his dumping a wife and 8 kids for a slew of skanks. On a fateful night Tiger went from the most boring superstar this side of Roger Federer to a meltdown masterpiece worthy of John Daly emotional trainwrecks. Turns out the father of two and husband of a hot Swedish wife was messing around with party girls, porn stars and a Perkins waitress. And loving it bareback with most of them. The best “denial” came from a porn star who claimed she wasn’t one of his mistresses since they’d only screwed during Tiger’s bachelor party. I bet there was rejoicing at this good news at Tiger’s house. For flaunting his family while banging a cellphone full of skanks, Tiger Woods is a Bob Crane kinda guy.

Break Thru Actress is Eva Amurri. After years of toiling in minor roles, she took over the camera on this season of Californication as the college student by day and stripper by night. Sure she was fourth on Hank Moody’s totem pole of lovers, but she had the most upward possibilities. Her ability to turn up the sass and tease should lead to her playing a few amazing ex-wives in her career.

Comeback Kid also goes to a Californication guest star: Rick Springfield. There are a lot of fans of “Jesse’s Girl” that had their eyes burned by seeing Rick in a devil’s three-way with Evan Handler. And it wasn’t any simple sex scene – Rick is pouring wax on her back while singing his hits.

Nice Vagina Award goes to Billy Bush. I’m disgusted at Billy Bush being disgusted at everything he reports on his show. If you don’t like the filth, get out of the sty and let another news piggy wallow in the “truth.”

Olympian to Watch: Katie Uhlaender has me skeleton crazy for the 2010 games. Why isn’t there a couples skeleton? The most exciting time you can have with a partner lying on top of you that doesn’t involve sponsorship from Trojan Condoms or Zippy Lube.

MY TLC SHOW

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

10 Things I Hate About You: 10th Anniversary Edition reminds us that Heath Ledger was always a cinematic stud. The film is a high school version of The Taming of the Shrew that holds up a decade later. Joseph Gordon-Levitt ((500) Days of Summer) wants to hook up with Larisa Oleynik. The problem is she can’t date until her sister (Julia Stiles) also has a boyfriend. She’s not as sweets as her sister thus it looks like this day will never come. A solution comes in the shape of bad boy Heath Ledger being hired to woo Stiles. Can she resist his Aussie charms? The trio of Ledger, Stiles and Gordon-Levitt elevates this film above the average Shakespeare adaptation. The Blu-ray image brings out the elements that made Ledger a star. He did glow. The bonus features include deleted scenes and a fresh documentary that includes Ledger’s screen test. This is much more engrossing than your dull English teacher walking you through the text.

All About Steve brings us back to Sandra Bullock’s creative focus on playing ugly characters that transform. In this case she’s emotionally ugly as a stalker. And not just any type of stalker, but one that is obsessed with a local TV news cameraman played by Bradley Cooper (The Hangover). Thomas Haden Church (Wings) is the reporter that isn’t getting Sandra’s groupie love. How can this be? The film is more goofy than witty. This isn’t a great comic follow up to The Hangover for Cooper. But it’s a dopey lazy Sunday afternoon Blu-ray for when Tiger Woods wants to unwind with his latest Las Vegas conquest. The high definition transfer makes me wonder how many man can resist Sandra no matter how insane she might be. The audio commentary includes all of the stars. A gag reel, deleted scenes and other bonus features are secondary to Cooper and Ken Jeong’s duet. These two ought to get their own lounge act in Vegas. There’s also a digital copy of the film so you can watch stalker Sandra while waiting in the airport.

DVD SHELF

The Clint Eastwood Collection gives us the four films that made Clint a cinematic cowboy icon. A Fistful of Dollars was his first spaghetti western with Sergio Leone in the director’s chair. The film remakes Yojimbo with Clint playing two rival gangsters for fools. This wasn’t like the usual horse opera. Eastwood drops his persona from Rawhide to become an amazing bad ass under the hat. For A Few Dollars More is a second dose of Sergio and Clint. He’s now a bounty hunter teaming up with Lee Van Cleef to go after a big time outlaw. Klaus Kinski is one of the baddies. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is an epic of the spaghetti western genre. Clint’s The Good, Lee is The Bad and Eli Wallach is The Ugly. The DVD in this collection is the 179 minute cut from the 2005 special edition. Hang ‘Em High was Clint bringing his Italian cowboy action back to Hollywood. He’s a survivor of a lynching who wants to bring them to rope justice. Director Ted Post did the Saturday morning cult fave Ark II. Clint’s Sergio Leone trilogy and first major Hollywood is an essential part of any DVD collection.

The Mickey Rourke Collection brings us back to the time when Mickey was a good looking guy whose face didn’t resemble a rump roast with eyeballs. The four films have star turns with the man whose career became dominated by boxing and little dogs in his pockets. “Pope of Greenwich Village launched Mickey and Eric Roberts as a dynamic duo. They’re hustlers working angles except one of them loses their thumb. A Prayer for the Dying teams him with Bob Hoskins for an IRA bomber tale. Desperate Hours is a hostage taking film that involves Anthony Hopkins. It was another of Michael Cimino’s comebacks. Harley Davidson & The Marlboro Man is brilliant cheese with Don Johnson as the breaded cowboy biker. Mickey is the leather clad Harley. It’s kinda like a movie that Easy Rider‘s Billy and Captain America would have made if they wanted to remake Cobra. It’s one of the Action Trash Masterpieces during the Planet Hollywood Era. For newcomers eager to see the latest Iron Man villain, The Mickey Rourke Collection is a low budget peak to his origins.

United States of Tara: The First Season brings together the talents of stripper/screenwriter Diablo Cody and theme park maven Steven Spielberg. The Showtime series is about a mother with dissociative identity disorder and a very understanding family. Toni Collette is amazing as she slips between being a drunken trucker, sassy teen and a ’50s TV mom. John Corbett (Northern Exposure is the husband forced to roll with the personality punches. Collette pulls off a difficult role without making it seem like a Jonathan Winters’ multiple personalities sketch. Sadly enough, the show is already dated since it seems to think MySpace is cool. How 2006. The boxset has all 12 episodes on 2 DVDs along with the season 3 first episode of The Tudors. The big bonus is an interview with Diablo Cody.

Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, A Valentine For You: Special Edition bring together three episodes of the cartoon series. This is a fun gift for any little kids you might feel obligating in introducing them to the holiday without it getting mushy. “A Valentine For You” reminds us that a person doesn’t need to be limited by who they can love. You can add others without chucking out the old. This is a good message to little kids who think there’s best friend rationing. “Un-Valentine’s Day” deals with Tigger being over-zealous in giving out heart shaped cards. Remember that you’re best giving out more candy to people you like instead of flooding them with cards. “My Hero” has piglet going airborne with his kite. He saves Tigger from drowning and discovers the burden of being a hero. The bonus game is called “Catch the Love Bug. “You click to catch the bug in a jar. Included in the DVD is 6 little Pooh themed Valentine’s Days cards to give to your special friends.

The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse: The Complete Series is the 1987 revival that had Ralph Bakshi (Cool World) and John Kricfalusi (Ren and Stimpy) in control of the rodent hero. While the series was intended for little kids on Saturday mornings, the humor leans a bit toward the attitude that now dominates Adult Swim. The 19 episodes poke fun at things like Rocky and Bullwinkle. When this originally aired, uptight parent groups swore there was a cocaine joke in the series. They include three original cartoons: “He Dood It Again,” “Gypsy Lifeand “Mysterious Package.” The best bonus feature is a 30 minute documentary about the show featuring all the key players discussing the revival. This is the perfect DVD set to blow a few gift cards on.

Becker: The Third Season gives us another 24 visits with America’s crankiest doctor. John Becker (Ted Danson) doesn’t cure with kindness. He gets extra testy in “Smoke ’em If You Got ‘Em.” He attempts to quit smoking and the charm level dips. “Dr. Angry Head” is the Christmas special that involves Becker screwing up his back at a department store. “The Princess Cruise” has him booked on a gay cruise. Because it is ordered by the FCC, Brian Posehn appears in “The Ugly Truth.” Star Trek fans will get their ears in a point on “The TorMentor.” Turns out Becker’s favorite professor at Harvard was Leonard Nimoy. “Small Wonder” gives us Regis Philbin as a homeless man. This was his nightmare when Kathie Lee split. The season finale “Trials and Defibrillations” has Marvin Kaplan, the voice of Choo Choo from Top Cat. He can handle Becker after 8 seasons of Vic Tayback’s food on Alice.

Kendra: The Complete First Season explores the union between Hugh Hefner’s ex-girlfriend and NFL receiver Eric Baskett. The couple’s beginnings are a bit hazy since they met well she was still one of Hef’s “active” girlfriends as seen on The Girls Next Door. But after she left the mansion, they made their love public. Even though she was considered the wildest of the three girls, she quickly became a one woman guy with Hank. The episodes here go from their engagement on the Space Needle to their wedding at the Playboy Mansion. There’s also a secret surprise as the bridal shower becomes a baby shower. Can a relationship survive being constantly filmed? And how long can Hank handle the flaming Jonny Makeup? He’s like the rollerskating guy on Reno 911. The show is educational when it comes to a party girl’s lessons in becoming semi-domestic.

Trailer Park: Dave Foley of THE STRIP

By Christopher Stipp

The Archives, Right Here

I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right HERE for free.

Check out my new column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on TWITTER under the name: Stipp

sita-sings-the-blues-dvdSita Sings the Blues – Quick Review

Sooooo….this is awkward.

I want to start off by making clear my stance on this DVD is that you should buy it. Go right out and purchase it any which way you can.

My second point is that not only is this a movie the venerable Roger Ebert reviewed glowingly on his blog a year ago but you can go on the film’s website and watch it for free.

Like Roger, I didn’t really have a strong passion to sit down with this film and consume it immediately. I got to it when it got to it as I didn’t really know what this movie was about, I was intrigued by the idea that this an animated film in the 2D vein, and wasn’t at all familiar with the filmmaker, Nina Paley. As Paley states, this film “is a musical, animated personal interpretation of the Indian epic the Ramayana” which focuses on, “the relationship between Sita and Rama, who are gods incarnated as human beings, and even they can’t make their marriage work.” Avatar this isn’t but this movie is brilliant. Utterly brilliant.

With a humorous and fascinating tone, the movie lays out the mythology of a Hindu epic that millions of people know but might not make sense to us Westerners who might not be familiar with the faith of people who live half way across the globe. The brilliance is not only the animation which just pops and makes you believe that Pixar does not have a corner on the market of evocative storytelling through this medium but Paley embeds her own personal story on top of this larger one.

Paley inserts herself into this film as she draws comparisons to these gods who become man and wife, their marriage unable to be one that’s stable or cohesive. Her own marriage, in the real world, crumbles and she uses this movie as a way to work through her own issues. As well, we have a couple of irreverent narrators who help school us on the whole mythological business in a way that is downright hilarious and poignant, almost like being taught by two professors who can’t seem to agree on anything but possess a deep knowledge of the very subject we’re here to learn about,  and the end result is a movie that defies any kind of linear explanation but it is that very defiance that makes this a movie that I would positively put into my top 5 animated films of 2009. It’s a must see and I cannot express enough the notion you should at least watch a little bit online and, if so moved, purchase the DVD. You cannot go wrong.

Product Description:

NEW YORK, NY ““ When filmmaker Nina Paley couldn’t make her marriage work, she decided to use it as fodder for an ambitious project: a musical, animated and personal interpretation of the Indian epic, the Ramayana.  The highly acclaimed, award-winning result, SITA SINGS THE BLUES, tells two parallel stories: the ancient Hindu story of a god and goddess and Paley’s 21st century break-up, stunningly woven together utilizing flash animation, original watercolor paintings, rotoscoping techniques and imaginative musical interludes which link the narratives 3000 years apart.

In SITA SINGS THE BLUES, the Hindu goddess (and namesake of the film) is the leading lady of the Ramayana, a dutiful wife who follows her husband, Rama, on a 14 year exile, only to be kidnapped by an evil king from Sri Lanka .  Despite remaining faithful to her husband, Sita is forced to endure many trying tests.  Fast forward to modern times, where artist Nina (the filmmaker herself) discovers parallels in Sita’s life when her husband — in India on a work project — decides to break up their marriage and dump her via email.  With narration and hilarious commentary by a trio of Indonesian shadow puppets, both the ancient tragedy and modern comedy are married in this beautifully animated interpretation of the epic, which is also enlivened by grand musical numbers choreographed to a cross-cultural and eclectic mix of 1920’s jazz vocals from Annette Hanshaw and Indian fusion.

In SITA ““ Paley’s first feature length film and one amazingly created entirely from her home studio, using standard-issue computers and over-the-counter software — multiple narrative and visual styles (such as Mughal paintings and temple sculptures to comic books) have been juxtaposed to create a highly entertaining, yet moving, vision of the Ramayana which comes to lavish life with a cast of hundreds: flying monkeys, evil monsters, gods, goddesses, warriors, sages, and winged eyeballs.  Universally acclaimed and winner of over 30 awards from festivals the world over ““ including the prestigious Silver Bear from Berlin and the “Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You” Award at the Gotham Awards, SITA SINGS THE BLUES was also invited into the American Film Institute’s prestigious program, AFI PROJECT 20/20, designed to enhance cultural exchange and understanding, by bringing together filmmakers and their films from the US and abroad.

Whether encountering the Ramayana for the first time or revisiting a familiar cultural icon, home audiences will be fascinated, enthralled, entertained and moved by SITA, a tale of truth, justice and a woman’s cry for equal treatment that deftly earns its tagline as “The Greatest Break-Up Story Ever Told.”

DVD Extras: Director’s commentary and interview, the bonus Paley short film “Fetch!” and more

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS – Giveaway

inglourious-basterds-movie-poster-11With no hesitation or hyperbole I can state that Inglorious Basterds was in my top 5 films of 2009. This movie could have been released on DVD without so much as any promotion as it certainly doesn’t need my help in saying how utterly brilliant it was.

Christoph Waltz deserves much of the acting kudos this film receives, not that everyone else really brought their A game to a film that Quentin Tarantino obviously had a fun time creating, but the production values and script are brought together in a maelstrom of what could be said is 2009’s answer to what could be called Best Picture. My fluffery aside, I do have a few more copies of the movie to give away along with some metallic Basterds branded shot glasses and faux blood spattered baseball pens (which you can see here: http://twitpic.com/to9i9). I’ve got tons of these tchotchkes to give out so shoot me a line at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and let me know if you want to be entered to win.

Now, unless you’ve been living under a rock or have an aversion to movie theaters and pop culture here is the film’s description to see if you want to enter this contest:

Inglourious Basterds begins in German-occupied France, where Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema.

Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as “The Basterds,” Raine’s squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) on a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich. Fates converge under a cinema marquee, where Shosanna is poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own…

Criss Angel:  Mindfreak -Collectors Edition

mind1Ok, I am not going to posture and say that Angel is my favorite magician of all time.

In fact, I don’t have a favorite magician of all time and I realize that they themselves don’t want to be called magicians but that’s neither here nor there as I barely know who Criss Angel is. Besides the blown out hair, the chunky jewelry, the guyliner, and the Jersey sensibility to not want to don a shirt (seriously, what is in the water on the east coast that makes clothing such as a shirt repellent to these cats?) the guy is good. In fact, he’s one of the best up close-and-personal illusionists I’ve ever sat down and watched and, without question, this show sparks all kinds of curiosity out of my kids. They we’re glued to what Criss does on the camera, and as we plowed through well over a dozen discs in this set, they were just as fascinated with the first one as they were with the last one.

Tricks, sleight of hand, and visual oddities abound in this show that does make you scratch your head to think about how he is able to be in things that blow up, how he can pass through glass. There is obviously a very logical explanation to all of this but Criss, love him or hate him, makes it a great show to simply watch to be amazed. Much like Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige the trick is not so much the trick itself but the way in which it happens. Criss’ skill is how he covers up any way to figure out what he’s doing or how he’s doing it and, God love him, kept me guessing through every damn frustrating episode where I couldn’t figure it all out.

This set collects every episode that he’s done and should absolutely be seen as a present to yourself if you’re a fan of the series or, if you have the scratch, get it for that special someone in your life. While the seasons seem predicated on topping the one that came before it, you can see the level of spectacle get bigger and more engaging as the time wears on. Obviously, going from Season 1 to the present is the way to go here there is still the interesting activity of watching Criss evolve as an entertainer. That said, the one real grand extra that I found most delightful is the Inside the Mind of Criss Angel which is just a great documentary on the man himself which provides one of the better insights into the guy a lot of people know only from tabloid reports.

A product description:

The #1 Mystifier of all time presents the definitive 15-DVD Collector’s Edition set of the A&E hit series CRISS ANGEL MINDFREAK. Criss Angel’s unique art form pushes creative, physical and mental boundaries, earning him the reputation as one of the most innovative artists of his day and the Houdini of the 21st Century. Each mind-boggling episode in this 15-DVD set captures the creative master at work as he prepares for some of the most mind-blowing illusions, death defying escapes and astonishing physical feats ever attempted.

Whether he’s floating above the Luxor, escaping from a speeding truck filled with explosives, levitating ordinary people through their TV sets, walking on water or hanging by fish hooks through his flesh from a helicopter 1,000 feet above ground, Criss blurs the line between reality and illusion like no other artist in the world.

This astounding collection includes every breathtaking episode from Seasons 1-5, the Halloween Special and a bonus disc featuring 6 episodes never-before-released on DVD – all packaged in a stunning collectible gift case.

* Features all every episode from CRISS ANGEL: MINDFREAK® in collectable pop-up packaging.
* 15 DVD – Includes five episodes never before release on DVD, plus the Halloween special

Bonus features include: Six New-to-DVD Episodes; Episode Commentaries With Criss Angel; Interactive Illusions Through Your Television Screen; “Inside the Mind of Criss Angel” Interview; Criss Angel’s Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Own Illusions; Featurettes “Teach a Trick,” “Interviews,” “Practical Jokes,” “Criss Angel Special Gifts,” “Criss Uncensored,” “Criss’ Celebrity Guests”; Behind-the-Scenes Footage; Additional Scenes; Two “Best-Of” Episodes: “Uncut” and “Up Close”; Photo Gallery; Text Biography

Get Your MINDFREAK On!

American Pie Presents: The Book of Love – Giveaway

bookSo, I don’t know much about this film and won’t purport to know different so whether it’s a decent direct to DVD film or if it’s another tired entry into this series. But, I do know Eugene Levy is back again so that has to count for something, right?

I am giving away five (5) copies of the movie on DVD and all you have to do is shoot me a note at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and let me know if you want to be entered into the contest to win one.

Film Description:

When three East Great Falls High buddies accidentally discover the legendary “Book of Love”, penned by some of their school’s alumni, they embark on a hilariously outrageous quest to lose their virginity with the girls of their dreams. Join Jim’s Dad (Eugene Levy) and this lovable and outrageous group of guys in this raucous comedy full of shocking and heartwarming fun!

“Utterly hilarious and outrageous!””“ Buzz McClain, Playboy.com

Dave Foley – Interview – Part 1

I have to give Kids in the Hall every bit of credit for pouring the foundation of my funny bone.

Thanks to its irreverence and wicked sensibility I found the bar for what’s possible with sketch comedy and filmed bits raised to heights that many who have come after them simply cannot match. While The Kids had an advantage of not having to be on every week like Saturday Night Live it still trumps a vast majority of what passes for funny nowadays.

While the show drove me to learn how navigate Internet newsgroups in the early 90’s just so I could geek out with like-minded nerds on a daily basis I can say that the show still holds a special place in the pantheon of great shows as judged by me. Dave Foley went on to become one of the most successful Kids when he landed on Newsradio shortly after Kids in the Hall stopped as he would stay there for the next five seasons, earning him critical kudos for his turn as Dave Nelson. A markedly different Foley, compared to the roles he performed with The Kids, allowed those around him to become stars in their own right as he once again rode the wave of success all the way through that series, films, and opportunities that have ballasted him all the way though the 90’s and into the aughts.

Dave Foley now stars in The Strip, a comedy in which Foley finds himself in the center of an ensemble of a cast of characters who all share some kind of disdain for having to work in a miserable, low-end electronics store. The movie has some laughs and is worth checking out if you can catch it in a theater near you. Dave is also going to be in The Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town that debuts in January on the CBC and represents the first time all the Kids are back on the air since the show went away almost a decade and a half ago. We chat about The Strip, Death, and what it’s like to be the elder statesman on the set of a indie comedy.

dave1CHRISTOPHER STIPP:  Dave?

DAVE FOLEY: Yeah.  You sound surprised.

CS:  No, I  was just waiting.  I’m totally bubbling with anticipation.

FOLEY: Well, I hope not to disappoint.

CS:  I don’t think you can.  I tried to figure out how many ways I could say ““ I’m a huge fan and I’ve been following you now for now what’s going over two decades.

FOLEY: Well, that’s a fine way to say it.

(Laughs)

CS:  I don’t know if I should say your eminence, your holiness”¦

FOLEY:  Any of those is a somewhat an understatement but perfectly acceptable.

(Laughs)

CS:  I saw the movie a couple days ago and I’m a big fan of the film.  I think I was expecting something like a mad, sort of a Keystone cops sort of movie. One where I think a lot of people have grown accustomed to nowadays”¦

FOLEY: You mean where a girls pants get torn off?

(Laughs)

CS:  It’s a quieter film.  It’s a comedy but not a seriously in your face kind of film.

FOLEY: It’s a very low key, character based comedy.  It’s more in a Rushmore vein than in another vein.  More Rushmore than Porkies.  How’s that?

CS:  Yes, I would agree with that.  Did you see that when you read the script?  Leap out at you that it wasn’t what is de rigueur in the world of comedy nowadays?

FOLEY:  I like that it’s really a character study, you know?  All the comedy comes out of these personalities  who all know each other because they share a crappy job together.  So I liked the premise to it.  We don’t wind up dealing with with the mafia or abducted by aliens or anything.

CS:  No vampires?

FOLEY: No vampires at all.  He ends up on a crazy road trip.  All comedy is based in real life which I really like.

CS:  Oddly enough, I was researching those surrounding you in this film and realize that director/writer Jameel Khan ““ this is his first foray into really anything.  Was there any hesitation?  How did you come in contact with a script from a guy who has never done anything?

FOLEY: Well they just got a hold of me through my manager.  Jameel and Jay Khan a hold of my manager and my manager just really liked them.  He called me up and said there are these guys from Chicago and they don’t have a lot of money so it’s going to be very, very low budget.  But then he said they seem like really good people and it’s got a good script.  My manager is a decent guy and I trust his judgment about people so I called them up and they were nice guys.  They sent me the script and it was a really good script and I thought if he can write the script then he can direct it too.  Basically having one conversation with them and after reading the script, I said sure, sign me up.  I’ll be happy to do it.

CS:  It’s amazing to me because you are willing to do things that just don’t seem ““ you’ve had major success with Kids in the Hall, you had major success with Newsradio and you are in the pantheon now of the Disney/Pixar heritage ““ is it hard not to fall into that trap of thinking there are some things you will not do?  You basically are open to possibilities.  Is that hard to do?

FOLEY: No, not for me it doesn’t seem to be.  I don’t think too much in terms of career plan or terms of legacy or anything like that.  If something seems like it will be a fun thing to do and if the people seems like they are going to be interesting to be with, then that is more important to me than the actual product in a lot of ways.  If it seems like it’s going to be a nice experience, because I spend most of my time, for me the movie is about making it.  To see it doesn’t take a lot of time but making it ““ you are going to be with these people for a while and I want to spend it with people I like.  That’s the great part about being an actor.  You get to meet all these people and I like being on a set and if it’s going to be a fun set to be on then I’ll show up.

CS:  That leads to the next question about the other actors around you.  I thought Federico did a fabulous job.  All these actors knew what they needed to do.

FOLEY: Yes.  And they are all not just actors but really talented people.

daveCS:  That’s what’s amazing that these guys, most of the people you were in with, do have long resumes.  They’ve done one shot here, one shot there but they’ve done a lot of productions but like you said, they are not household names but they are good at what they do.

FOLEY: Yeah, and I think they all will become much better known.  Everyone but me in that is pretty young.  Screw them.

CS:  Were you like the elder statesman on set?

FOLEY: Oh yeah.  Oh yeah.  Not sure if it was the elder statesman or the old uncle that has fun with the kids.

CS:  The one they’re not quite sure if he’s pervy or not.

FOLEY: Yeah, “Come on I don’t care if you’re 17, have a beer..”

(Laughs)

CS:  How was that with the other actors?  Obviously, it was Jameel’s first film. Were you leaned on at all?  Did you help add anything suggestion-wise?

FOLEY: They were very open.  It was a very relaxed set and Jameel really knew what he was doing.  He knew what he wanted and knew how he wanted to shoot the movie.  So, he didn’t need any help from me and he had already written a great script.  All I had to do was figure out how I wanted to play it and embellish it here and there, which is what you do when you are performing.  Jameel kept it open and shoot it in a way that we could so we could relax with each other and be very natural with the dialogue.  We could adlib ““ did a lot of cross masters and wide shots – three shots, two shots – which gave us a lot of room to play.  We were playing around within the scenes.  No one felt like we had to reinvent the scene.  We played it the way it was written.

CS:  Did you find that things moved rather quickly?  I only ask because reading in passing that from start to finish it took Jameel about 4 years to get this all together and put out there for everyone to see.  I assume you were brought on late in that game?

FOLEY: I was hired just a couple weeks before we started shooting.  Then we had a very short schedule and so, yea, we shot very quickly.  We didn’t have the luxury of shooting a lot of takes or shooting a lot of coverage so we shot as quickly as we could.  But, I’ve stayed friends with Jameel and Jay

December 25, 2009

Holiday Havoc: THE VENTURE BROS.

Filed under: Holiday Havoc — Tags: , , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 12:17 am

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venturealbum2For the past few years, the fine folks at Astrobase Go (Jackson Publick & Doc Hammer) have been providing FRED with exclusive holiday singles.

This year is no different.

However, there are still some of you out there that haven’t heard all of the tracks from previous years. So let’s rectify that. Below, you’ll find all of our exclusive VENTURE BROS. holiday tunes, leading up to the big debut of this year’s insta-classic.

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In 2004, The Monarch & Dr. Girlfriend gave us their take on the Bowie/Crosby “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy“…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros_little_drummer_boy.mp3]

2005 brought the tender trio of The Monarch and Henchmen Nos. 21 & 24 belting out Dolly Parton’s “Hard Candy Christmas” during The Monarch’s incarceration…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Hard Candy Christmas”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros_hard_candy_xmas.mp3]

2006 delivered the epic “Venture Aid 2006“…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Venture Aid 2006”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros_venture_aid_2006.mp3]

2007 found The Monarch & Dr. Girlfriend tackling a timeless holiday duet, “Fairytale Of New York”…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Fairytale Of New York”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros_fairytale_of_new_york_2007.mp3]

2008 was a bittersweet affair, as Henchmen 21 & 24 sung a tune that was recorded in June of that year, to get it out of the way so they wouldn’t have to worry about it during their big vacation in Cancun. Sadly, there would never to be a “Henchmen Cancun ’08″…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Wonderful Christmastime”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros_henchmen_21_24-wonderful_christmastime.mp3]

In 2009, The Monarch recorded a very special gift for Dr. Mrs. The Monarch with the help of Henchman 21 and the Moppets, Kevin & Tim-Tom…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“The Chipmunk Song”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros-the_chipmunk_song.mp3]

2010 found the totally hard-rocking Shallow Gravy releasing their “Fan Club Christmas Album 2010″…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Fan Club Christmas Album 2010”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros-shallow_gravy-fan_club_christmas_album_2010.mp3]

And for 2011, we get a heartwarming duet from The Monarch and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch, “Baby It’s Cold In Here”…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Baby It’s Cold In Here”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros-baby_its_cold_in_here.mp3]

Check out the rest of this year’s Holiday Singles HERE

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December 24, 2009

Paul Dini’s JINGLE BELLE: #02

Filed under: Holiday Havoc,Jingle Belle — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 5:50 am

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Santa Claus gets along with every child except one ““ his own feisty teen-age daughter, JINGLE BELLE. As a special Holiday Havoc treat, Jingle’s creator Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series, Gotham City Sirens) and illustrator Stephanie Gladden (Hopster’s Tracks, Girls of Monster Paradise) will be presenting ALL NEW weekly Jing strips here at FRED this Christmas season and into the New Year. Check in each Thursday for more arctic antics!

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CLICK BELOW FOR THIS WEEK’S STRIP

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Jingle Belle and all related characters ™ & ® 2009 Paul Dini all rights reserved

December 23, 2009

Holiday Havoc: Stan Lee Presents THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

Filed under: Holiday Havoc — Tags: , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 7:22 pm

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Christmas Day is fast approaching, so we thought we’d ask master storyteller (and living legend, natch) Stan Lee to get us all in the holiday spirit with a rousing reading of THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS as only Smilin’ Stan can!

Be sure to check out Stan’s reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s THE RAVEN, and follow him on Twitter @TheRealStanLee!

If you’d like to throw some holiday cheer our way, please DONATE

Check out the rest of this year’s Holiday Havoc – and past Havoc – HERE

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Ken P. D. Snyde-Cast #127: The One With Bells On

Filed under: Ken P.D. Snydecast — Tags: , , , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 7:09 pm

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Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and FRED’s Ken Plume set out to have a literate conversation between two pals, but inevitably devolve into a verbal, and funny, free-for-all full of bickering, infighting, and the special kind of male bonding that comes from conflict expressed through the podcast medium.

Actor/comedian/raconteur Dana Snyder, you’re certainly aware, is Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Master Shake, Squidbillies‘ Granny, Minoriteam’s Dr. Wang, and The Venture Bros.‘ Alchemist. Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs (bat availability pending), you can keep tabs on him via his website, www.eyeofthesnyder.com.

Ken Plume is the editor-in-chief here at FRED. He is a friend of Dana’s, as well as his arch-nemesis.

VISIT THE SNYDECAST EXPERIENCE

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KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #127: The One With Bells On – Ken & Dana return with a festive celebration full of holiday cheer, in which we learn you can go home again, and that there’s always something right about ending on a song.

[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #127 (MP3 format)

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/snydecast/ken_p_d_snyde_cast-127.mp3]

AND DON’T FORGET TO DOWNLOAD THIS YEAR’S SNYDECAST HOLIDAY SINGLE:

Download Ken Plume & Dana Snyder – Holly Jolly Christmas:

[audio:http://asitecalledfred.com/snydecast/ken_plume_and_dana_snyder-holly_jolly_christmas.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

Got something to say? E-mail Dana & Ken at the Snydecast mailbag.

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CLICK HERE FOR THE SNYDECAST ARCHIVES

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A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & Tom Kenny (Plus A Holiday Surprise!)

Filed under: A Bit Of A Chat With Ken Plume,Holiday Havoc,Interviews — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:41 am

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I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

In this episode, I chat with actor and voice artist Tom Kenny, late of MR. SHOW and the voice behind Spongebob Squarepants, about the release of the Spongebob holiday single “Don’t Be A Jerk (It’s Christmas)” and much, much more…

Be it under a rock or deep in a cave upon the highest peak, you must have been living there if the Spongebob Squarepants phenomenon has passed you by. If you’ve been around any child below the age of 15, they can probably tell you exactly who Bikini Bottom’s most famous animated invertebrate is – and, chances are, there are some hip adults that will also clue you in, being fans themselves.

As the voice of the krabby patty flipping squarepants enthusiast, Tom Kenny has brought to life a cultural icon the world over… And he’s a nice guy, to boot. In fact, if you’re not aware of the scads of voice work he’s done over the years (including the mayor and narrator of The Powerpuff Girls), then you probably know him from his on-camera work in the legendary Mr. Show with Bob & David (alongside his equally talented wife Jill Talley).

He also crafted (with Andy Paley) a toe-tapping album starring Spongebob and friends titled The Best Day Ever – a glorious piece of pop informed by his idols, including the likes of The Beach Boys and The Who (in fact, Brian Wilson is a guest artist on the album).

Just in time for the holidays, though, they’ve also released a single – “Don’t Be A Jerk (It’s Christmas)” – which you can snag via iTunes or Amazon.

Not only did I sit down and have a lovely, rambling chat with Tom (which you’ll find below), but he also sent over a special, exclusive LIVE edition of “Don’t Be A Jerk” for all of you to spin this holiday season (You’ll find that below, too). How’s that for holiday cheer?

Hope you enjoy…

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Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Tom Kenny“:

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-tom_kenny.mp3]

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Download “Don’t Be A Jerk (It’s Christmas) LIVE VERSION“:

[audio:http://asitecalledfred.com/holidayhavoc/spongebob_squarepants-dont_be_a_jerk_its_christmas_live.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

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Drop Ken a line HERE.

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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.

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Bagged & Boarded 42: British People Are Filthy

Filed under: Bagged & Boarded — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:18 am

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What happens when two young men let their love of movies, comic books, and all things “geek” take over their lives? They run away from their families, bringing only the most essential DVDs and comics to their secret, highly fortified underground bunker in sunny Southern California, where they start recording podcasts that will change the world.

Are they heroes?

No.

Are they geniuses?

Far from it.

Are they the future of this planet?

I sure hope not.

Simply put… Matt Cohen and Jesse Rivers are “Bagged and Boarded”.

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BAGGED & BOARDED #42: British People Are Filthy – In which Matt is joined by special guest Bumpin’ Fresh, and the boys discuss public education, British reality television, and Matt’s years spent in the forest. Grab your walking stick and come along.

[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #42 (MP3 format)

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/baggedboarded/bagged_boarded-42.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

Got something to say? E-mail Matt & Jesse at the B & B mailbag.

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CLICK HERE FOR THE BAGGED & BOARDED ARCHIVES

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