Thursday, December 31, 2015

Video Round-Up: December 31, 2015


"There is only one action movie that is also a holiday movie. We’re talking about Die Hard of course. Back in the late 1980’s, few movies stood out like Die Hard. The film basically kick started the movie career of Bruce Willis."

10 Movies That Stole Sounds From Other Films - In the world of motion pictures, there is an entire team of people whose job it is to create sound effects. This work ranges from duplicating the sounds of the real world, such as shoes stepping on pavement or gun shots, to creating sounds like no one has ever heard before, such as the engine of the Millennium Falcon or a flying dragon. Most of the time, entirely new sounds are created for each and every movie, but sometimes sound effects from the past get reused as well.

Quick Pic: How BB-8 works

How BB-8 works


... also how the internet works.


Short Film: Shadow Complex


Jason Fleming finds himself trapped behind enemy lines; keeping him from getting to his extraction point. He has to fight through soldiers, helicopters and even a gigantic mech to get to Claire, who has managed to escape the compound with one of the enemy's vehicles. Can they make it to the extraction point without getting seriously JACKED??!? 

Lego Creation: Star Wars Starship Costumes


Star Wars Lego Minifigs wearing Starship Costumes by Nick Chen

Using a minimal number of pieces, LEGO enthusiast solscud created an awesomely clever series of Star Wars-themed minifig characters and vehicles based on all three original Star Wars films, Attack of the Clones, and The Force Awakens.  Visit solscud’s Flickr stream to check out more of their geektastic LEGO creations.

Lego Creation: Kylo Ren's Landing Party



A mini-diorama of Kylo Ren and his men storming Jakku


Humor: Family Holiday Greetings



Oh, hey!  Do you think you could you just make my six year old laptop work like new?  (Five minutes later...) What do you mean anti-virus software?


Humor: Floored

Floored

"Floored" by Chris Hallbeck of Maximumble

Me, every single New Year's Eve.  Why can't someone just invent caffeinated chocolate milk?  Oh wait, I forgot that's half of Starbuck's holiday menu.


Comic Round-Up: December 31, 2015

Mr. Freeze by Tristan Jones

"Mr. Freeze" by Tristan Jones


Interview: Chag Lowry talks about his graphic novel Soldiers Unknown, a fictional tale about Native American soldiers in World War I. 


Interview: LeAnn Sukman, manager of Bedrock Comics in Missouri City, Texas, talks about the influx of women fans; she has been working for Bedrock for 20 years and started off reading Archie and Richie Rich comics as a kid, moving on to The Sandman and Strangers in Paradise.

Interview: Mike Colter Talks Jessica and Luke’s Relationship, Tells Us What to Expect from Luke Cage

Reviews: Cosmo on Saga #32. Joe Gordon on The Fade Out Vol. 1. Joe Gordon on Hellboy And The BPRD: 1953. Alex Hoffman on Generous Bosom. Alex Hoffman on A Year Without Mom.

5 Comic Creators to Watch For In 2016

Bleeding Cool’s 11 Best Graphic Novels of 2015

Link Round-Up: December 31, 2015


Star Wars version of Star Trek: Into Darkness


10 Times The Fashion World Was Obsessed With Star Wars

Check Out This Uncanny, Never-Before-Seen Back to the Future Poster

Geek Out On This Neat Collection Of Apple Products In Prague's Unofficial Apple Museum

National Geographic Announces the Winners of Their 2015 Photo Contest

These Are Our Favorite Earth Images of 2015

TRANSFORMERS Have An Awesome Wooden Alternative

Will We Always Care About Star Wars?


Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Video Round-Up: December 30, 2015


Kylo Ren’s legendary temper tantrums are not limited to First Order starships, as documented in this amusing animated Star Wars: The Force Awakens parody video by Bill Bergen.

Baby Reacts Pricelessly to Tasting Bacon for the First Time - On Christmas morning, this cute baby boy named Easton got his little mind blown when his parents gave him his first taste of delicious, crispy bacon.

Deaf Husband Has Best Reaction to Wife’s Surprise Pregnancy Announcement - In this heartwarming video, David Welsh freaks out (in a good way) when his wife, Brittany, uses clever clues, like a Baby Ruth candy bar, and a bottle of Dad's Root Beer to let him know that he's going to become a father for the first time.

Drone-racing pilot navigates through abandoned buildings - In a video for New Scientist, a drone racing pilot navigates through abandoned buildings with a first-person view headset that provides a live feed from cameras mounted on the drone. The video was filmed near Grantham, England during the first national drone racing championships.

Short Film: Retrofit



Retrofit is set in the near future, when death is just a new beginning for those who can afford it. Dylan, driven by his need for reconciliation, brings his father back from the dead, and houses him in a shabby utility robot ‘acquired’ from the black market. To make matters worse Dylan did this without his father’s consent, and now his father is angry and wants to be switched off. Dylan must now convince him to give life a second chance.


Quick Pic: Alternaive Kylo Ren



Supreme leader Snoke. You're breaking my heart!


Sweets: Gingerbread Barad-dûr


Dark Tower of Barad-dûr in Gingerbread by Finland-based Jarno Koivulan
Source: Turkulainen

Two Finnish students decided to build a slightly more hardcore gingerbread house. Two students, Jarno and Roy, recently made the news in Finland for winning a gingerbread house competition with a 13.5 pound model of the Dark Tower of Barad-dûr from The Lord of the Rings.  You'll remember it as being the one with the giant flaming eye top it.  The two friends are (of course) computer science majors, and they speak briefly to a reporter in the article about the competition.  Unfortunately, the article isn't in English.


Sweets: BB-8 Cake Pops


"BB-8 CAKE POPS" by Rosanna Pansino of Nerdy Nummies

Rosanna Pansino celebrated the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens by paying tribute to her favorite new droid, BB-8, with a set of adorable cake pops.


Sweets: Gingerbread Hogwarts


Gingerbread Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by Louisesiuol
Source: Imgur via Reddit

Every once in while, a dessert comes along that seriously forces the rest of us to ask ourselves what we're doing with our lives.  This week, that dessert is a gigantic gingerbread Hogwarts, which makes all our muggle holiday desserts look pathetic in comparison.  According to louisesiuol, it took her about a week to create the gingerbread castle and about a week to clean up the kitchen.
"Its all ginger bread! The roofs are dyed green. It took alot of trial and error. Getting the right dough was key and baking it a little lower and slower so it wouldn’t melt off the mold."

Comic Round-Up: December 30, 2015

Reynan Sanchez



Interview: Mike Colter explains how Luke Cage will be different from Daredevil and Jessica Jones

News: The Very First Adventure Time Graphic Novel, Playing With Fire, Now In Colour

Reviews: Richard Bruton on Beast Wagon #2. Joe Gordon on If You Steal. Alex Hoffman on Palefire. John Kane on a bunch of different comics. JA Micheline on It's Hard To Be A Girl.

6 Comic Books to Look For In 2016, chosen by Hollywood Reporter

This augmented reality comic book offers a glimpse at the future of storytelling

Link Round-Up: December 30, 2015





Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Video Round-Up: December 29, 2015


CollegeHumor has created an animated Star Wars: The Force Awakens parody video featuring the character of Kylo Ren pitching a plan to destroy the Resistance with a gang of bounty hunters. But as he reads their names, he begins to realize the utter absurdity of most characters' names in the Star Wars universe.

Chubby Cat Desperately Wants a Bite of Guy’s Sandwich - This cute cat joins his human at the dinner table in hopes of sharing his sandwich with him, but has to resort to some gentle clawing and begging to convince him to hand over a bite.

Disney's VertiGo, A Wall-Climbing Robot - The VertiGo is a wall-climbing robot created by ETH Zurich and Disney Research that can easily transition from driving on the ground to maneuvering up a wall. The robot gets its wall-crawling abilities from two propellers that provide thrust up against the wall, allowing the VertiGo to defy gravity.

Dog Blows Bubbles with His Nose - In this video from Russia, an Australian shepherd dog shows off his amusing trick of blowing bubbles in a creek with his nose.

Video: The 25 Best Films of 2015



So Christmas has come and gone, and you have a pocket full of gift cards burning a hole in your pocket.  Luckily the Time of Top Tens is upon us, when every person in the world with a blog rains down their rankings of the year's books, comics, movies, and everything else.

One of the few lists I actually look forward to each year are those of Rolling Stone Staff Writer David Ehrlich, who has a tradition of editing his choices into music videoes.


Short Film: The Looking Planet



Winner of over 50 film festival jury and audience awards including Best Short Film, Best Sci-Fi Film, Best Animated Film, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound Design.
During the construction of the universe, a young member of the Cosmos Corps of Engineers decides to break some fundamental laws in the name of self-expression.


Photography: Miniature Stormtrooper

The Daily Life of a Miniature Stormtrooper Darryll Jones



Photography: The Intruder




Photography: D. Vader



A photo series the envisions the everyday life of a Sith Lord as he goes about doing menial tasks.


Photography: Figure Fantasy


"Figure Fantasy" by Ottawa, Canada-based Daniel Picard

For his latest on-going project, Daniel combines his love of collectible figures/statues and his passion for photography into a seamless art form.


Posters: Ex Machina

Ex_Machina by Thomas Danthony

"Ex_Machina" by Thomas Danthony
Prints available for purchase from Delveweekly.


Posters: 2001: A Space Odyssey

2001: A Space Odyssey by Matt Chase



Posters: Starkiller

Starkiller by Mark McHaley


You definitely want to click through to McHaley's DeviantArt gallery.


Posters: Storm Trooper

Stormtrooper by Omar Molina

"Storm Trooper. The force awakens" by Caracas, Venezuela-based Omar Molina


Posters: Star Wars Silhouettes




Posters: The Force Awakens

The Force Awakens: Heroes & Villains - Created by Laura RaceroPrints available at the Artist’s Shop.

Prints available for purchase from the artist's website. €28


Posters: The Force Awakens

The Force Awakens by Marie Bergeron

Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based Marie Bergeron


Posters: The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Amien Juugo

Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Makassar, Indonesia-based Amien Juugo


Illustration: Phasma's Fate

Captain Phasma by Jeff Delgado


I wanted to see her actually being dropped down a shaft SO badly.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the director's cut.


Illustration: Ren meets Poe






Source: Sunsteez
"i fell in love 5 minutes into the movie"

Tumblr user Sunsteez captures what may have been the best line of The Force Awakens.


Illustration: Kylo Ren Popping Up


"Just imagine Kylo Ren randomly popping up in Rey’s daily life and try to convince her to be his padawan. It’s my headcanon now."

Mash-Up: Force Awakens / Frozen

It doesn’t have to be a Death Star, Kylo  :C 

"It doesn’t have to be a Death Star, Kylo  :C "

Tumblr user Katarzyna Witerscheim has woken up to the fact that Kylo Ren from The Force Awakens is basically just Elsa from Frozen.  They both throw tantrums.  Neither has control of their power.  And, they're both dealing with a whole lot of inner turmoil.

Tren Fraszka even wrote some extended lyrics for "Do You Want To Build A Death Star?"  Check it out below, along with more mash-ups.

Humor: A Game of Skyrim Tag


"A Game of Skyrim Tag" by Julia Lepetit and Andrew Bridgman of Dorkly


Comic Round-Up: December 29, 2015

Batman by Jim Lee


Interview: Andrew Yates talks to Peter Milligan.

Interview: Tobias Carroll talks to Greg Rucka.


News: Phillipsburg High School in Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania, now offers a Making Comics course developed by teacher Faith Roncorni — and she raised some of the money for it by holding a mini comic con at the school.


Reviews: Johanna Draper Carlson on Master Keaton Vol. 1. Joe Gordon on Hellboy And The BPRD: 1953. Alex Hoffman on Generous Bosom.  JA Micheline on It's Hard To Be A Girl.

93 Reasons to Love Stan Lee On His 93rd Birthday

Link Round-Up: December 29, 2015


"Kylo Ren" by Italy-based Leonardo Black (dleoblack)


By now you would have seen Starbucks’ minimalist red holiday cups and heard about the outcry and controversy surrounding them.  DC-based illustrator and letterer Carolyn Sewell has used the red holiday cups as a blank canvas, crafting a series of lovely patterns to help usher in the season.

Collective Evolution rounds up a gallery of Disturbing Pictures that Expose the Absurdities of Modern Culture in two parts.  (Warning: Graphic Images)

Designers Imagine Splendid Star Wars-Themed Line of Coffee Lids

Monday, December 28, 2015

Video Round-Up: December 28, 2015




6 Things You May Have Missed in the Second ‘Deadpool’ Trailer - Australian film enthusiast, Mr. Sunday Movies, breaks down the easter eggs and references in the just released red and green band trailers for Marvel's upcoming 2016 superhero film, Deadpool.

10 Hidden Details in Pixar Films You Probably Missed - Rob Flis from Screen Rant takes a look at some of the easter eggs and subtle references that were snuck into new and classic Pixar films.

100 Different Ways To Die In Fallout 4HunterNormandy demonstrates 100 different ways the Sole Survivor can die in the video game Fallout 4.

Quick Pic: ...it doesn't look good.


"All my years of gaming have prepared me for this moment." by soupnrc
Source: Imgur via Reddit
"All my years of gaming have prepared me for this moment. I don't know what waits for me around the corner, but it doesn't look good."


Short Film: Resuscitation



The human brain is capable of activity for some time after we die. These moments of revival are devoted to memories, regardless of who we are and where we end up.


Sweets: Gingerbread Overlook Hotel


Source: Imgur via Reddit

This fantastic gingerbread recreation of the Overlook Hotel from Stephen King's The Shining is made entirely of edible ingredients. The entire diorama is made of gingerbread, icing, fondant, edible paper, Rice Krispies Treats, and different kinds of candy. The Overlook Hotel building measures nearly four feet long. Its exterior walls are covered with fondant and icing, the roof is covered with quinoa and powdered sugar, and the windows are made of melted Jolly Ranchers candies.   Even the blood is candy.

The gingerbread hotel  includes five interior rooms featuring scenes from the movie, complete with little edible Jack, Wendy, Danny and evil twins.  The whole thing took two weeks to build from still frames taken from the movie.

This sweet diorama was a family holiday project, part of an annual Christmas tradition in which they make ornate gingerbread structures. 


Sweets: Gingerbread BB-8

Say hello to ginger BB8!


Bokkototto demonstrates how to make and assemble a Gingerbread model of the adorable BB-8 from scratch.  He modeled each individual piece of the droid to create a shell, rather than simply baking up a simple sphere.  Then, he assembled the pieces using melted sugar in place of glue.  The results look great, but I can't imagine marshaling the patients to do something like this.


Sweets: BB-8 Cake




Sweets: Van Gogh Gingerbread House

Van Gogh Gingerbread House

Source: Reddit via Reddit

IndigoSalsa made a gingerbread house and layered on the frosting in the manner of Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” Plus, it includes the artist himself as a gingerbread man- with only one ear!


Tech: Ragnar’s Revenge PC Case



This beauty is the winner of Bit-tech’s annual awards for both best casemod and custom case as well as the winner of German Casemod Championship.  Ali Abbas calls his Viking-themed wooden case Ragnar’s Revenge, and it is a sight to behold.  It features mechanical swiveling wings that reveal the system's interior.  The design isn't exactly nautical, but it's primary purpose is conceal the PC’s components behind eye candy.  Check out the video and photos below.


Tech: Boba Fett Xbox One Controller


Prints available for purchase from eBay.

There was an official Star Wars console released this year.  If it had been half as awesome as this custom-built Boba Fett sculpt, there would be one sitting in my living room right now.  Alas, I can only drool over photos of the now sold controller.  The winning bid was a whopping five hundred dollars, which is one hell of a bounty.

This controller is fully operational and it features a light-up chest panel, a flak jacket undercloth, and a removable jet pack battery pack.


Tech: Star Wars Desert N64

Custom N64: The Wreck of the Desert - Created by Vadu Amka

"The Wreck of the Desert" Star Wars Console by Vadu Amka

Belgian case modder Vadu Amka recently decked this old Nintendo 64 out in a desert theme to celebrate the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  The theme is intended to evoke the spirit of Tatoonie and Jakuu alike.  Both are rough and tumble frontiers where our heroes adventures begin.

The entire project took Amka thirty hours to complete, and it involved paint, sanding, and melting some aluminum.  The end result is unlike any console I've even seen before.


Paintings: BB-8 Watercolor

Watercolor painting of BB-8 from The Force Awakens



Paintings: BB-8

BB-8



Paintings: Captain Phasma

Capitaine Phasma by Henry Hang

Oil and Spray Paint


Paintings: Star Wars Watercolors

I finished painting Darth Vader this week..cuz I’m a nerd! This piece is my largest yet, at 48" x 48" which makes me super duper excited. This was a project with the intent of hanging in my apartment and it’s certainly going to have a nice place on its new wall soon.

"Darth Vader" by Vancouver, BC-based Jon Shaw
Ink and acrylic on wood panel

Jon Shaw is a Vancouver-based artist with a vibrant, expressive style that refuses to stay inside the lines.  Recently, Shaw has begun dabbling in Star Wars tribute pieces.  His Boba Fett (below) is especially good.
"I finished painting Darth Vader this week..cuz I’m a nerd! This piece is my largest yet, at 48" x 48" which makes me super duper excited. This was a project with the intent of hanging in my apartment and it’s certainly going to have a nice place on its new wall soon."

Posters: The Force Awakens


"Here’s a closer look at the #forceawakens artwork created for #disneystore . There really isn’t anything more fun to draw than #chewbacca . He does take a while cuz there’s just so much fur involved but it’s all worth it. Definitely one of my favorite characters in the series and I’m glad he gets to kick some First Order butt in the new film. #starwars #starwarsart #episodevii"

Posters: The Dark Side

The Dark Side by Aleksandr Kuskov

"The Dark Side" by Kiev, Ukraine-based Aleksandr Kuskov


Posters: The Force Awakens




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