Bits & Bobs - 9th Edition

Bits & Bobs collects some of the cool things around the interwebs that I think are noteworthy and worth your time but don't necessarily fill up a full blog post or news item. On with the show...

DEADPOOL FEELS PRETTY, OH SO PRETTY

With production just on the horizon for the new Deadpool movie, Ryan Reynolds took to his Twitter this morning to reveal a sneak peek at the costume. More specifically you catch a glimpse of the mask and gloves that have been presumably used on the tests that he had discussed a little earlier in February. Reynolds alludes to the release date next year with a crack accompanying the photo, "Sepia tone disguises the fact the mask is ballerina pink. It's early. 365 sleeps early."

 

A L'LL TABLETOP BUSTING

Ever look at your board game collection and wax nostalgic about the Milton Bradley Real Ghostbusters board game that you had as a kid, then immediately wish that something a little more complex and updated was available for you? Well, wax no longer (that's a phrase, right?) because Cryptozoic has taken to Kickstarter to unveil their all-new Ghostbusters Board Game. The game appears to be a combination of strategy and role-playing with an expandable playing field similar to a Settles of Catan. Which is pretty much all that needed to be said to me. I've backed it and you should too... the more pledges they receive, the more extras and add-ons they'll give everyone. Go check it out!

THE DEAD RISE FROM THE GRAVE

Speaking of Ghostbusters, for about ten years or so I used to run a Ghostbusters fansite called Ghostbusters HQ (or GBHQ) which started back in the early days of the interwebs on AOL. The site went the way of Gozer long ago, with just a shade of its past assembled in place as something of a tribute. But recently I've had a lot of fun engaging with the social masses through a new Ghostbusters HQ Twitter account. So if you're feeling saucy and looking for another Twitter friend to follow that's all Ghostbusters, all the time. Go check it out!

Bits & Bobs - 8th Edition

Bits & Bobs collects some of the cool things around the interwebs that I think are noteworthy and worth your time but don't necessarily fill up a full blog post or news item. On with the show...

THERE HAS BEEN AN AWAKENING, AND YOU PROBABLY FELT IT...

Unless you've been off the grid since Thanksgiving, you probably have already seen and know that a teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released on Black Friday. The new sequel film takes place thirty years after the events of Return of the Jedi and features all-new characters and some familiar faces including Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia. The teaser trailer clocks in at a mere 88 seconds but is the first official glimpse of the newcomers John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, and Oscar Issac and is intended as something of an amuse-bouche before bigger trailers are released presumably next spring. Of course, fanboys are nitpicking over tiny details including a brand new lightsaber seen sported by what many assume is the new villain of the film but how can you not like everything you see in this trailer? A panicked hero in Stormtooper armor on the run, a tough female jumping onto a souped-up speeder and racing to (or away from) danger, X-Wings, the Millennium Falcon... I mean, c'mon. If you haven't seen it, check it out here in glorious high definition courtesy of StarWars.com.

HER NAME IS AGENT

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is about to head off into its mid-season hiatus with a blow-out Winter Finale on December 9th, but the good news is that in between episodes Agent Carter is going to help you pass the time starting with a two-hour film airing on ABC January 6, 2015. The latest TV spots and promos really make the film look true to the first Captain America: The First Avenger film (and in-turn, gets me stoked for the show because it also feels a lot like The Rocketeer). The seven episodes will presumably air weekly leading up to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s return later in 2015, and knowing how everything in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is connected, will most likely have ramifications for all of the Marvel shows and films to come.

Bits & Bobs - 7th Edition

Bits & Bobs collects some of the cool things around the interwebs that I think are noteworthy and worth your time but don't necessarily fill up a full blog post or news item. On with the show...

A LONG TIME AGO, IN A MOVIE THEATER FAR, FAR AWAY...

StarWars.com announced on Monday morning that a new 88-second trailer for the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be released in 30 select theaters on the Friday following Thanksgiving. The 88-second teaser trailer will be the first (official) look at the production but has a lot of fans in an uproar that it's such a limited and short-timed release. After weeks of hearing rumors that the teaser trailer would be revealed with something "much bigger than being attached to the new Hobbit film," the confusing marketing and messaging has a lot of Star Wars fans scratching their heads wondering if they'll be able to see the trailer online officially and sadly the overwhelming consensus is that many will most likely be viewing the teaser for the first time as some shaky hand-held iPhone video. Not exactly the ideal viewing conditions for the first live-action Star Wars footage in almost ten years. We'll see what happens later in the week and if the marketing message becomes clearer. Always in motion, the future is (apparently).

HOLD ON, LET ME TAKE A SELFIE

While it wasn't a big surprise, when ABC canceled the much maligned but incredibly misunderstood show Selfie, I'll go ahead and admit it: I was a little bummed. On the surface level, the Karen Gillan and John Cho starring show appeared to be a vapid reflection of Kim Kardashian culture incarnate. I was apprehensive about watching it at first. But sharp writing and a comment on the socially networked culture was to be had and the show actually really grew on me. That and David Harewood's Seinfeldesque boss character really tickled me. The good news is that show runner Emily Kapnek has "unofficially" Tweeted that the remaining episodes of the show will eventually make it to Hulu, where hopefully it will find an audience that will give it a chance.

HE WEARS THE PAN...

Joe Wright, the man behind Atonement, The Soloist, and Hanna has been hard at work on a retelling of the Peter Pan legend simply titled, Pan. The trailer for the film was released amidst the fully of trailers this Thanksgiving week and it's an interesting take on the story. Shades of Spielberg's Hook in there, a little bit of Guillermo del Toro feeling storytelling, and a whole lot of Hugh Jackman in heavy make-up playing Blackbeard. Check out the trailer through YouTube here and let us know what you think in the comments. Have reboots gone too far? Is this a good approach to retelling a classic story? Let us know how you're feeling (even if the answer is "hungry for massive amounts of turkey tomorrow").

Bits & Bobs - 6th Edition

Bits & Bobs collects some of the cool things around the interwebs that I think are noteworthy and worth your time but don't necessarily fill up a full blog post or news item. On with the show...

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BASS (JUST LIKE THE 90'S)

Nerdist has a parody video up today of the catchy "All About That Bass" featuring the ladies of Team Unicorn. While the song may not be your cup of tea (it's definitely not mine), the lyrics are pretty damn clever and get a good guffaw or two. Plus the costume changes and production value, including dancing astromech droids and backup Royal Imperial Guard dancers make it worth a view. And you know, it's the Team Unicorn ladies so... it's worth a view for obvious reasons. For those interested, the Team Unicorn Saturday Morning Cartoon inspired show should be hitting Adult Swim soon.

AGENT CARTER, I PRESUME?

Last night, during its 75th Anniversary documentary special, Marvel released a new trailer for the upcoming Agent Carter series which highlights a fantastic moment between Carter herself and father of a future Iron Man Howard Stark. The clip also introduces us to the original Jarvis, who presumably will be the inspiration of the artificial intelligence J.A.R.V.I.S. utilized by Tony later in the films. I'm really loving the tone of the series, it has that amazing Rocketeer feel (which is the major reason I'm such a fan of the first Cap movie as well) and can't wait to see what the rest of this series brings.