Video Round-Up: Historical Celebrities 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'll start you off with an appetizer. Here's 9 seconds of Keanu Reeves' acting. That is, studies show, just enough time to prove that he ranks among the worst actors ever. His character Neo in The Matrix trilogy is undoubtedly awesome. But don't confuse Neo with Keanu. Seeing his inability to fake sneeze, I wouldn't be surprised if he literally couldn't act his way out of a paper bag. Poor guy.

HELLO! - watch more funny videos

Dom Joly is up on his current events this time. This is a classic Joly bit, although this time he needn't exaggerate the size of the device he's parodying. Therein lies the irony, and the comedy.



Moving back into truly "historical" times, this clip from the movie Downfall has been translated...let's say differently. Endless parodies of this very scene can be found on YouTube, including one in which Hitler gets upset about Republican Scott Brown's election. But who cares about politics? Let's talk about video games!



Eighteenth-century history is re-imagined in this amazing music video. The hyperbolic insanity reminds of a less-famous The Lonely Island. (That's a compliment.) Not something you necessarily have to "get" to enjoy, but perhaps this style of comedy could be called "niche"? In any case, I hope you Roll On the Floor Laughing at this choice.



The farewell for this week's Round-Up won't be as poignant as the video above. Conan O'Brien, as we all know, ended his contract with NBC as host of the Tonight Show, the result of a drawn-out legal battle, after only seven months hosting. It's a shame because Conan is, in my opinion, the prime-time comedic voice of the new generation. No offense to fogies who like Leno better, but come on. O'Brien reveals some emotion here during his final minutes as host of the Tonight Show, and if you haven't seen it, you should: It is, after all, bound to become part of history.

January Music Wrap-Up

The Music Wrap-Up is a monthly summary of my favorite and other notable new releases. The songs are for sampling purposes only. Artists or labels notify me with any complaints and I will remove the song as soon as possible. Please support these musicians as that's the reason I'm featuring them in the first place.

Hooray! The Music Wrap-Up makes a triumphant return in the new year. Still, it's going to have to be different from the old ones. I used to be able to pick out specific songs that I enjoyed most from each CD, upload them to a file hosting site, and embed players. Doing this was in no way giving access for people to pirate these tracks -- I even dealt with a record label that didn't ask me to take them down -- yet the file hosting site still banned me for breaking their rules, even for local bands that had given me permission. So I'm stuck to searching through YouTube videos for embedding. Not ideal, but it'll have to do.

January is hardly bursting at the seems with great new music, but there are definitely some gems. A new Vampire Weekend and Spoon CD for one, as well as some other solid releases. Plus, I've thrown in some earlier releases since I didn't do a wrap-up in November or December. So, without further ado, let's get into the music shall we?

Vampire Weekend - Contra

It's easy to hate these guys. Just look at them! They look like the snobby rich kids from every single college movie that we are clearly meant to despise. Still, there is no denying that they put out great music. Maybe a lot of stupid people like it, but it's good stuff. I don't feel ashamed jumping on the bandwagon.

Hit the jump for songs and the rest of the releases...

Book Ruminations: The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac

During my adolescent years, I regarded books as something that "got in the way of video games." As I matured, and as adulthood approached, I realized my folly and began devouring as many books as I possibly could. This is not a review, but merely my thoughts and musings whilst reading The Dharma Bums.

I've traveled up and down the west coast many times in my life, which is important to note, I think, because The Dharma Bums chronicles the real life adventures of Jack Kerouac; someone who also traveled to many different places, most of which happen to take place on the west coast (at least in this book).

It helped the book become relatable, as I either knew of or had been to the places Kerouac wrote about. Perhaps this is one of the main reasons I enjoyed Kerouac's book. Or perhaps Kerouac just led an interesting life, I'm not quite sure.

What I find intriguing about Kerouac's work is he wrote in a very unique style. He coined it "spontaneous prose," a term that speaks for itself. Imagine reading a book filled with run-on sentences, combined words, and a general disregard for the rules of grammar, and you'll have a pretty good idea of how Kerouac wrote.

Still, this doesn't make it a poorly written book; on the contrary, I believe this style helped capture my attention, forced me to change the way I read a book. It has a certain rythm to the way you read it, and if you try to read Kerouac's work like any other book, you'll be sorely disappointed. Go with the flow, follow the leads, and just read. Once you have the rythm in your head, it's hard to shake it.

I was ill a few weeks ago, and whilst reading this book at 2 a.m., I felt as if my mind was traveling faster then the rest of my body. I could hardly sleep. When I did sleep, my mind was constantly on the story of The Dharma Bums, imagining myself there with the characters.

It wasn't a pleasant experience; although now reflecting on it, I wish I were back there, indulging Kerouac's work for the first time. Such are the reflections upon many great authors, I suppose.

I hope I haven't bored any of you too much, as I plan on going more in-depth next time when we continue discussing The Dharma Bums.

Honest Movie Posters Part 1: Six Packs and Loud Noises

Honest Movie Posters is a weekly post in which we look at a world where movie posters tell the honest truth about the movie it concerns

300

Prepare for six packs! Semi-Nude Men on a Suicide Mission


Transformers

No script, retarded plot, get ready for some...Loud Noises

Thanks to Chani over at listal.com

Insufficient Funds: Meat Boy

Insufficient Funds is a regular post in which we feature a free, or very close to it, piece of media that you can enjoy without overdrafting your bank account.

If a game has simple enough controls, then no matter how excrutiatingly difficult it is, you'll know it's your own fault when you meet your demise. Meat Boy operates on this principle to the absolute extreme limits. It can be soul-crushingly difficult, but you only kick yourself. And then go back... again, and again, and again.

It's a simple enough platformer -- left and right arrow keys to move, space bar to jump -- but it has all the charm in the world. You play as a big hunk of meat, trying to save the only girl that would ever accept you; one made from band-aids. And who has stolen your sweet from your embrace? None other than Dr. Fetus, a fetus in a jar, with a grown man's body and, inexplicably, wings.

But it's not only the ridiculous story that keeps you sucked in, the game is designed in such a way to give you a hearty slap on the back for encouragement, as it simultaneously chews you up and spits you out. Every level can be beaten in at least 30 seconds or less, if only you were that talented. And should you... when you, meet your untimely death, over and over again, the level instantly reloads itself, never letting you second guess a 54th... or 104th try.

And don't worry, once you are thoroughly in love with the constant stream of synchronous abuse and charm, there will be plenty of pain/delight for you to endure/enjoy. After the original Meat Boy, Edmund McMillen and Jonathan McEntee (Team Mic) gathered a collection of the most ridiculously brutal player created maps, and released the Meat Boy (Map Pack).

Let's just say you are the sick kind of masochist that can make it through all of the Map Pack. Never fear, because on the horizon is Super Meat Boy for WiiWare, which looks to take our 8-bit style hero into the 16-bit age. But that probably doesn't matter to you, because if you can make it through all of the Map Pack, then you most be a robot. And we all know that robots come from the future. So you've probably already played Super Meat Boy. How was it? Or... is it? Will it?

Trailer Park: January 29

Trailer Park is a weekly post, every thursday, where we feature trailers for the upcoming weekend movie releases.

Not much is out this week, but there are two films of note.

First up is Edge of Darkness. Starring Mel Gibson and Ray Winstone, it tells the tale of a hard-as-nails homicide detective who is investigating the death of his daughter. This being a movie, he of course uncovers a government plot and an agent is sent in to clean up the evidence. Expect plenty of twists in the plot, as it's written by William Monahan, the Oscar winning screenwriter of The Departed.



The other movie of note is When in Rome, starring Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel. Bell is the young woman who is unlucky in love. She impulsively takes a handful of coins from a "fountain of love" in Rome, and then finds herself besieged by wannabe lovers who had previously thrown their coins into the fountain. Seems to be a fairly competent rom-com, one worthy of bringing a lady to.



Also out this week:
North Face

What will you be seeing?

Video Round-Up: What the What? 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.

Who remembers Trigger Happy TV? Any hands? Well, if you don't, go back in time and try learn about it; then return to now and recall it. It was an excellent show that aired for a couple of seasons on Comedy Central early in the aughts. Rife with furries, no doubt, the British comedy show also had altered-reality skits like the one above. I'm imagining a Trigger Happy version of the iPhone that he jumps on like the piano in Big.




Who has a weatherman this awesome? For a weatherman to win in the competitive field of old guys pointing at things and relying a bit too much on buttons, a certain degree of enthusiasm is requisite. However, this hype cannot be faked. On a serious note: a meteorologist like this can actually make me care about the personalities involved; like maybe I would watch the news instead of checking the temperature on Google. I won't miss you because I don't live anywhere near your broadcast, guy, but good job nonetheless!




Of all things--all things--that I expected to hear discussed in Alex's recent interview with Nick Suttner, ostrich racing was the last thing I--okay, ostrich racing is the last thing I expect to hear discussed under any circumstances. But lo and behold! Here emerges a home video, the magic of which was ruined by the conversation about posting it on youtube within the video. Anyway, I can't say it doesn't look like that one ostrich was abused in training, so feel free to debate that in the comments.




For readers who already watch 30 Rock, you probably recognized the title of this Round-Up. If you do not watch 30 Rock, do yourself a favor and start. It's all on Netflix so there's no excuse not to! It didn't appeal to me until years after its premiere, but the jokes are constant, fresh and appealing to the likes of me. Here are some clips that set the self-conscious tone for the show.




What's right about roosters and heavy metal combined? What isn't right? After watching this video you will agree.

Trailer Park: January 22nd

Welcome to Trailer Park, a weekly round-up of the latest movie releases.

One of this weeks biggest releases is Legion. The first film by directer Scott Stewart, and featuring Dennis Quaid and Paul Bettany. With Humanity's last hope, in unborn baby form, being protected by Archangel Micheal, expect some exhilarating angel on angel fight scenes. It doesn't look too shabby and only adds to the already awesome movie line-up for 2010.



This weeks other big release is Extraordinary Measures. Based on a true story and boasting a relatively all star cast of Brendan Fraser, Harrison Ford and Keri Russell. The plot centers on two parents journey to find a researcher who might be able to cure their two children's rare genetic disorder. Expect some heart wrenching moments and maybe some tears.



Also out this week

Tooth Fairy
Creation
To Save a Life

Jean Baudin Interview

Jean Baudin likes to push the limits of his instrument. Unsatisfied with the range he could achieve on his bass, he kept adding more strings to the mix. It's added a very unique sound to every one of his projects. The band he formed, Nuclear Rabbit, sounds like you're going down the rabbit hole to wonderland, only it is in a full-blown, post-apocalyptic, nuclear winter.

But Nuclear Rabbit's last CD came out in 2003, and there is no solid word on when a follow-up is coming. So Jean has occupied himself with solo work that is in the completely opposite direction. While his band transports you to a twisted fantasy world, his solo work strips away the rest of the world, and envelopes you with soothing, ambient sound.

It's a jump that some of his fans might not be able to make, but I was on board the second I heard both. Jean was nice enough to shoot some emails back and forth with me, and answer some of my burning questions. We talked about how he writes his music, why he made the jump in sound between Nuclear Rabbit and his solo music, video games and their influence on his music, and ostriches... always ostriches.

Read the interview here...

Dan's Internet Findings: Caldonia

I have a thing for old videos. Especially ones that feature really good music. In this case we have a real treat of a video. It's from the movie No Leave, No Love. The kid in the video is musician Sugar Chili Robinson. Not only is he extremely cute, but he's also very talented. The best part of the video is the last half. Enjoy.

Caldonia
by redhotjazz1