Video Round-Up: Water & Fire Edition

 Video Round-Up is a weekly post collecting an assortment of videos from around the web. Whether they be music videos, creative viral marketing, just plain cool, or just plain ridiculous, they will all be found on Video Round-Up.

We have the makings of a quality Round-Up this week: HD trailers, well produced video game parodies, knowledge, and the most wonderfully adorable kitten video in the world. Let's see if I can underhype this post anymore within.

Netflix Minute: Justice League Crisis on Two Earths

Netflix Minute is a weekly feature highlighting a title from Netflix's catalog of instant view films. If you want to spend a night snuggled up with a bag of popcorn and don't want to drive to the video store, this is for you.

In recent years, DC Comics has been on a direct-to-DVD animated film spree under the name of "DC Universe Animated Original Movies". Some of the films haven't been too impressive, but it's generally agreed upon that they've gotten better as the effort has pushed on. Earlier this year, DC Comics and Warner Premiere released the seventh in the series, loosely based on Grant Morrison's JLA Earth 2 graphic novel. Titled Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, it focuses on an alternate universe where what seems like familiar superheroes aren't what they seem.

Movie/Gig Review: Sun Araw vs. Fellini's Satyricon

Sun Araw (not to be confused with space-cultist/jazz-band leader Sun Ra) is on the trippy side of the one-person-who-sounds-like-a-full-band genre. His new album On Patrol is full of tape-delayed guitar, wobbly bass, and underwater vocals. It's relaxed and strange like dub music, but moody and sparse like an ambient film soundtrack.

It's no regular gig that I'm reviewing here though.

He (and one friend) experimented for the first time in Bristol, UK's Arnolfini art house accompanying a film live. The movie was Federico Fellini's decadent, bloody Satyricon (edited). It was well received in 1969, and is considered a classic.

Video Round-Up: Bernie is Talented Edition

Video Round-Up is a weekly post collecting an assortment of videos from around the web. Whether they be music videos, creative viral marketing, just plain cool, or just plain ridiculous, they will all be found on Video Round-Up.

In this edition of the Video Round-Up, I've featured some unbelievably creative people with an immense amount of talent...and some that have started a stupid new dance trend, but let's ignore them for now. From some amazingly talented animators and their beautiful graduation production project, to a skilled pianist and his experimentation, there's plenty of creativity and talent on showcase here.

Insufficient Funds: Girl Talk's All Day

Insufficient Funds is a weekly post in which we feature a free, or very close to it, piece of media that you can enjoy without overdrafting your bank account. So if you're low on funds, stay tuned to Cerebral Pop every Friday morning.

I've listened to the last few Girl Talk albums, and while I thoroughly enjoyed them, I was under the impression that I was missing something. Turns out I was wrong. There is no reason to think about his odd mash-ups as anything more than a lot of fun. So, you'll be happy to know that his newest album is entirely free online.

Like I said, it's not that I don't enjoy listening to the weird mixes he puts together, I just think they fall short of becoming another that can stand on their own. Apparently, that's cool with other people, so I'm cool with it to and can now concentrate on just having fun with it. I just can't help but wonder if he'd make each song into it's own individual, highly-specialized remix, if that would elevate them to a level where you could enjoy them like you would all the rest of your favorite music.

Movie Review: Morning Glory

There's something truly refreshing about a modern comedic film that isn't either targeted solely to the 16-21 demographic or can be classified a romantic-comedy (possibly starring someone like Katherine Heigl). Furthermore, there's something refreshing about a comedy that has real, mounting stakes that propel the plot forward in an organic way. Somehow, all of these things came together in a film that wasn't really on my radar due to a somewhat unimpressive trailer, namely Morning Glory.

Unoriginal Soundtracks Podcast: Enslaved Edition

Every other Wednesday I share a playlist of songs tangentially related to a single game or series. Songs about alien sex for Mass Effect, songs about world leaders for Civilization, and so on. Searching for random terms on Spotify is a great way to discover new music and rediscover old classics.

This week, discover incredible vocal jazz, paranoid hip hop about fighting robots, and angular synth-rock asking if you've really got a chance. It's the Enslaved edition of Unoriginal Soundtracks.

GWAR: Fostering a Positive and Friendly Fanbase?

As Sawborg Destructo jammed Bonesnapper's own sword into his chest, the creature began spewing green blood out into the audience. The stream seemed to be concentrated directly on my face for what seemed like an unnaturally long amount of time. Once it had moved on, I realized my contact was off to the side of my eye so I stumbled to the bathroom.

My once white shirt was completely green and red, along with my beard, hair, and eyebrows. A preppy-looking guy told me I was looking good, and I joked that it was the new fashion trend. I forced the dried, red-dyed contact lens back to the center of my eye in the mirror and as I turned the preppy guy remarked, "You better get back out there, man!" I walked back into the crowd, and ran through the center of the mosh pit, up to the front; Ready to endure even more.

A Proposition 19 Playlist

I was going to post this earlier, but then I got high. Better late than never, though, right? As we all know, Proposition 19 (the proposed legalization of marijuana in California) was, unfortunately, not passed. It was, however, pretty close to being passed. The running joke is that people got too high and forgot to vote. I honestly thought it would get through. I mean, it's practically legal there anyway. Soon my fellow weed smokers... soon.

But, in honor of the near victory, I'm putting together a bunch of songs that have to do with all things marijuana. Included is a song about climbing up a huge weed stalk, as well as Prop. 19's adopted theme-song by the late, great Peter Tosh. If you don't smoke, don't worry, you'll enjoy these songs anyway. Just sit back, spark whatever you got (or not), and enjoy.

Video Round-Up: New Generation Edition

 Video Round-Up is a weekly post collecting an assortment of videos from around the web. Whether they be music videos, creative viral marketing, just plain cool, or just plain ridiculous, they will all be found on Video Round-Up.

You've seen the Kinect, but you haven't seen what the Kinect sees. You've played The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, but you haven't played the new hotness. You've seen Mario rescue the princess, but you haven't heard him flip his lid. You've seen Inception, but you haven't seen the process used on a daily basis.

Sophist Radio Episode 35: Wizards, Pornos, and Cannibalistic Fetuses

With the new format -- having no format at all -- firmly in place, the Sophist Radio crew have spirited conversations about Fable 3 and Product No. 5. The guys also manage a fun and in depth discussion on the current state of the Sonic franchise, promoted by the discovery of a game called Sonic Fan Remix. Along the way the silliness of the word "wizard" comes up, and the gang closes out the show with a look at how 2010 may be the worst year for gaming in a long time. Who is to blame? Motion control? Shooters? Tune in to find out everyone's thoughts.

Insufficient Funds: 9 Beet Stretch

Insufficient Funds is a weekly post in which we feature a free, or very close to it, piece of media that you can enjoy without overdrafting your bank account. So if you're low on funds, stay tuned to Cerebral Pop every Friday morning.

 

9 Beet Stretch is a playful title for a more mesmeric experience. Norwegian Leif Inge took Beethoven's 9^th symphony (Ode to Joy and so forth), and stretched out the piece (which is somewhere between sixty and ninety minutes) to last twenty-four hours. You might, by reading that, have an idea of how it sounds. On the other hand, whatever is playing in your mind, it's slower than that.

Featured on WNYC's Radiolab, Inge was making his rounds in America with 9 Beet Stretch, after staying in Europe for several years. This episode of Radiolab followed listeners to an art house in California, where the piece was played in full, from 1AM to 1AM. The room was full of pillows and people who tried to describe the experience of listening to 9 Beet Stretch. The answers are amusing (if potentially nebulous), and I encourage you to check it out, if our earlier IF entry about the podcast hasn't already swayed you.

Netflix Minute: The Negotiator

Netflix Minute is a weekly feature highlighting a title from Netflix's catalog of instant view films. If you want to spend a night snuggled up with a bag of popcorn and don't want to drive to the video store, this is for you.

F. Gary Gray is a director who originally came from the world of music videos, much like several other of his contemporaries like Michael Bay, Spike Jonze, and David Fincher. This enclave of camera talent has its ups and downs, both of which can often be attributed to the style that uniquely springs from telling a story in less than five minutes. Gray, in particular, suffered a decisive failure recently with his 2009 film Law Abiding Citizen, pummeled due to overwhelming violence and more importantly, an unbelievable plot that would require divine intervention to take place in the real world.

I can hardly blame him for being attracted to the script, however, as there's something inherently attractive about a well-planned scheme played out on screen by the genius who created it. That concept builds the perfect foundation for quite a few heist movies, which show the thieves barely managing to steal something under the most tricky lock and key. While Law Abiding Citizen failed to impress, F. Gary Gray did manage to hit this concept just right on his first attempt in 1998's The Negotiator.

Shuffled: Side Project Trumping Edition

Every other Wednesday I hit the shuffle button on my 90 gigabytes of music and post the results. I might have to justify some of the stuff in my library, but hopefully it will help inform you of new music -- Or at least be entertaining.

For all of the times that I write descriptions like, "I've barely listened to this at all. I really should listen to it more." -- this is actually a randomly-created playlist I can really sink my teeth into. There's some old theatrical rock from the 80s, some punk that I listen to in a completely different context than I'm sure it was written for, and two side project bands that I probably like more than the original bands they spawned from. If you only listen to one song on this edition of Shuffled, at least make it the fourth. Now, HAVE AT IT!

Found: CAPTCHArt

Found: Ridiculous and/or funny and/or awesome website/picture on the Internet. Please comment on post to verify ownership/hilarity/awesomeness.

We've all experienced the anti-robot security questions, asking us to type in two ridiculous words that usually have nothing to do with each other. Well, CAPTCHArt.com takes these security questions and turns them into hilarious pictures or comic strips. It is updated daily and anyone can submit their own using a random generator for their inspiration. Some are pure genius and I have found myself laughing out loud on plenty of occasions -- which is rare for something so simple. I posted some of my favorites after the jump.

Video Round-Up: Goodbye to Politics Edition

Video Round-Up is a weekly post collecting an assortment of videos from around the web. Whether they be music videos, creative viral marketing, just plain cool, or just plain ridiculous, they will all be found on Video Round-Up.

Aaaah, the political season is over. Finally we can watch TV without suffering through a commercial break full of campaign ads. To help bid adieu to those suffocating ads, I've decided to start things off with a video that showcases just how badly all of that pep and drive can turn out when you get a little over-zealous in that campaign. It should help us segue nicely out of politics and into ridiculousness -- albeit in a slightly scary way.

Game Review: Super Meat Boy

Super Meat Boy is difficult—punishing, in fact. The gameplay in this sequel to the flash smash success offers a simple mechanic: try, die, and repeat. However, this brutal celebration of trial and astronomical errors has recreated classic 2D platforming fun, and rises to the top of downloadable titles this season.

Dr. Fetus is still capturing, releasing, losing, and recapturing Bandage Girl in this sequel, and with that skeleton of a story, you dive into instant high-speed platforming. In the beginning, the scope may seem small: you start out with five visible worlds with twenty levels each. But you quickly learn the ways to access more than twice as many levels—each original level (in the light world) has a much more difficult counterpart in the dark world.

Insufficient Funds: Give Up, Robot 1 and 2

Insufficient Funds is a weekly post in which we feature a free, or very close to it, piece of media that you can enjoy without overdrafting your bank account. So if you're low on funds, stay tuned to Cerebral Pop every Friday morning.

I don't play many Internet games. I usually get bored or frustrated and all too easily navigate away from the page. But after the first few stages of Give Up, Robot from Adult Swim games, I was hooked.

You play as a charming little robot with a grappling hook, being watched over by a God-like computer -- much in the vein of Portal. This head computer wants nothing more than your death. He actually tells you that he loves you when you indeed die -- and believe me, you will die... many times. The game is just hard, and you may want to quit, but provides enough fun that you'll want to see it to the end. The encouragement of the head computer telling you to give up after you complete a stage is another reason to push on through.

Game Review: Costume Quest

Double Fine is widely heralded as delivering some of the most charming and witty games ever released, and is generally regarded amongst many game enthusiasts as one of the best publishers around. Still, after some mixed reviews of Brutal Legend -- their last game -- some may have been wary of Costume Quest. I'll just start off by saying, while I do have some gripes of the game, it easily charms it's way out of them.

The downloadable sector really helps the game conquer annoyances that might have made it a chore to finish if it was a much longer, disc-based game. A sort of RPG-light would best describe the structure surrounding the game, but they've made attempts at tweaking the old-school, RPG formula to better suit their needs.

Netflix Minute: The Crazies

Netflix Minute is a weekly feature highlighting a title from Netflix's catalog of instant view films. If you want to spend a night snuggled up with a bag of popcorn and don't want to drive to the video store, this is for you.

I should admit something right away... I'm not a big fan of horror movies. It's not as though I don't respect them for a lack of cinematic value or anything pretentious like that; I simply don't really like to feel scared. There are exceptions to this rule as there are with any broad matter of opinion, in this case the offenders are zombie films. There's a fundamental dynamic of humanity that's questioned in such films, asking the viewer how they might react in such a hopeless situation when it's difficult to know who to trust. In recent years, the archetypal zombie flick has been gently altered in key ways, often adding some complexity to the barebones "reanimation + flesh eating" formula by means of viral outbreaks and such. One such attempt at altering the classic formula was made in Breck Eisner's latest, The Crazies.

Unoriginal Soundtracks Podcast: Red Dead Redemption Edition

Every other Wednesday I share a playlist of songs tangentially related to a single game or series. Songs about alien sex for Mass Effect, songs about world leaders for Civilization, and so on. Searching for random terms on Spotify is a great way to discover new music and rediscover old classics.

Things are a little different this week as I'm piloting a podcast version of this playlist. The same mix of obscure and classic music is present, along with my carefully-researched anecdotes. The same painstaking attention to track order is there. The difference? You now have less text to read, and the playlist isn't influenced by the dictates record labels give YouTube.

Tell me what you think of the new format in the comments below. If you've got room for a bi-weekly, half-hour music/games podcast in your life then perhaps you'll see Unoriginal Soundtracks in iTunes soon.

Video Round-Up: Halloween, Oh Wait Edition

Video Round-Up is a weekly post collecting an assortment of videos from around the web. Whether they be music videos, creative viral marketing, just plain cool, or just plain ridiculous, they will all be found on Video Round-Up.

 

Yes, it seems we are just in time to celebrate Halloween--nope, nix that. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed your Halloween celebrations; that is, I hope you weren't stuck answering the door every time you sat down and read two sentences of that classic scary story you've been meaning to read so that you couldn't finish it until the bell rang signaling the new month, and you missed Ray Barnholt's live stream of a playthrough of Ghouls & Ghosts, and you couldn't find time to watch a scary movie because while you didn't like handing out candy to trick-or-treaters you didn't want to be a Scruge and turn off your porch light, nor could you find a spooky game to play through to try and get into the spirit of the holiday and no one called you because they had responsibilities on Monday morning and--

Sorry.

 

October Music Wrap-Up

The Music Wrap-Up is a monthly summary of my favorite and other notable new releases. Having trouble keeping up with all the new music? Need some music suggestions? Then the Music Wrap-Up is for you. And please support these musicians as that's the reason I'm featuring them in the first place.

The already short release list this month was further hampered by my being unable to obtain several of them as well. It's been a busy month for me, so some of my write-ups may be slightly less informed than normal as I'll be writing based on the songs I could find on YouTube instead of the whole album. It's not ideal, but it'll have to do. The playlist may be much smaller, but there were some really good releases. Enjoy!