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Paramount To Make Straight-to-DVD Sequels
2007-03-02 13:26:04
Paramount Pictures recently hired Louis Feola to resuscitate its failing straight-to-DVD division. While Variety speculated that Paramount would tap such franchises as TEEN WOLF and NAKED GUN, here’s my Top Seven Potential Paramount DVD Sequels : 7. TUPAC: RESURRECTION II - In this documentary/sequel produced by James Cameron, we unearth Tupac’s tomb to discover that he did, in fact, die, therefore disproving the dogmatic theories set forth in the original TUPAC: RESURRECTION. 6. ARMY OF DARKNESS II - This would be a remake of ARMY OF DARKNESS, which was a sequel of EVIL DEAD II, which was a remake of EVIL DEAD. 5. CONGO II - Way raunchier than the original. 4. TITANIC II - The way that SUPERMAN RETURNS retconned the last two Man of Steel flicks, TITANIC II would retcon the last hour of the original. Jack doesn’t die. He and Rose move to Toluca Lake and open a bakery.
More About: Dvd , Para , Make , Stra

Magic Sam: Hurt Never Felt So Good
2007-03-02 07:25:02
Magic Sam’s guitar playin’ hey-day was a short one (he died of heart complications at the tender age of 32), but his West Side Chicago Blues legacy ain’t never been forgotten. Fellow Windy City legends like Buddy Guy and Otis Rush may get Blues enthusiasts’ kudos today, but it was Sam’s distinctive staccato, finger-picking, and jailhouse yowl that transformed blues numbers like “All Your Love” and “I Just Want a Little Bit” into sexually-tinged anthems for heartbreak and suffering. In the 60’s, Sam and his cohorts represented a new era of urban blues, where the electric guitar was no longer the bland backing of a booming singer–it was a six-stringed extension of the self. Concert footage of Sam rippin’ “All Your Love” after the jump . . .
More About: Magic , Hurt , Felt , Ever , Never

Video Game Theater
2007-03-02 07:25:02
VIDEO GAME THEATER is a new comedy show created by Scott Chernoff and Frank Meyer. Each episode spotlights a specific video game character, parodying them using a combination of puppets and green-screen effects. The show’s been greenlit by MTV Italy for a full season, and is currently seeking U.S. distribution. The first episode can be watched HERE, and centers around Pac-Man and his drug-induced spiral into alcoholism and abuse. In other words, it’s pretty damn funny. The remaining episodes feature everyone from Mario and Frogger to Q-Bert and Lara Croft. More info and live screening after the jump.
More About: Video , Theater , Game , Heat , Video Game

Photoshop Junkies: Log On
2007-03-02 07:25:02
FACT: Photo shop is the most revolutionary thing to happen to photography since 35mm.  Period. FACT: A lot of creative people have been bitter at Adobe for taking so long to come out with a Universal Binary version of Adobe Creative Suite. FACT: Web 2.0 is here to stay. FACT: I want host a contest on OgMog to photoshop my face onto the body of a stallion. Knowing all of these facts, would you be surprised to know that Adobe will releasing an online version of Photos hop within the next 6 months? News.com has a great article detailing some future plans.  One thing being kicked around the blogosphere is a free version that is ad supported.  Hot damn. I’ve beta tested (old news) Photoshop CS3 and know that it not only performs like a Bugati, but it looks like a Rolls (for all you Mac-heads out there, it’s the first version of Photoshop to be written in Cocoa).  This web-app push, coupled with the CS3 powerhouse, makes for a very happy year for graphic artists.
More About: Shop , Junk

Funny New Gondry Short
2007-03-02 07:25:02
Here’s some office comedy from your favorite hipster director, Michel Gondry. He’s been doing a series of “magical Rubik’s Cube solutions” all winter. My question is, where did he find a Rubik’s cube that small? Oh, wait, it’s CGI. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB8XedMowD U Another Gondry Rubik’s cube video and a video response on how he pulled it off after the jump.
More About: Funny , Fun , Short

Welcome to OgMog’s New Server!
2007-03-01 19:25:01
That’s right, now OgMog: beta 0.4 is faster than a speeding bullet but without all the sensitivity to kryptonite! Special props go out to you readers for putting up with our transition phase, and to TheDazeLlama who spent the week in a sensory deprivation box and coded everything you see before you. Some new features include: Calendar bar to sort posts by date Ajax plug-ins like when you click “share this” below each post Rolling comments bar Updated about page with our list of writers And much much more!
More About: Welcome , Server , Come , Serve

Compare Yourself: the Key to Depression
2007-03-01 19:25:01
Hello, 20somethings.  We here at OgMog know ambition.  And we know the bitter, self-loathing depression that can come from the fact that “I’m 22 and I’m not a millionaire yet,” or “I’m 21 and I don’t have an Oscar for Most Brilliant Director directing a work of James Joyce. God I wish they had that Oscar. Well, to fuel your self-denigration, the Museum of Conceptual Art has released a website where you can enter your age and see things that other people have already accomplished. Highlights for 22-year-olds (which I am): Inventor Samuel Colt patented the Colt six-shooter revolver. Caresse Crosby became the first person to patent a brassiere, which was made of two handkerchiefs and ribbon sewn together.
More About: Depression , Press , Comp , Yourself , Self

Revival Tent: The Goonies at the Nuart
2007-03-01 13:24:01
THE GOONIES holds a special place in my heart because I was born on THE GOONIES’ release date. You’ve got a chance to see it on the big smack tomorrow at midnight at the Nuart. As part of my ongoing dedication to make midnight screenings as enjoyable as possible for OgMoggers, here are the rules for THE GOONIES Drinking Game: Everyone picks a character. When that character appears onscreen, drink. When someone says, “Goon ies” or “rich stuff,” drink. See an inhaler, drink. If you can spot director Richard Donner in his cameo role, you get immunity. Everyone else has to finish their beer. Don’t drink and drive.
More About: The N , Tent , The Go , The G

Free Sesame Street on iTunes
2007-03-01 13:24:01
Fans of Sesame Street, rejoice!  In a special partnership with Apple, the Sesame Workshop has released a limited number of free Sesame Street short episodes (13-40min each) called Learn Along With Sesame. True, it’s not the good stuff, and it’s a little Elmo heavy for my tastes - but free Muppets are free Muppets. And, if you’re looking for Muppet gold (and I mean the really good shit) check out this compilation of comedy legend and Second City alumnus Avery Schreiber on The Muppet Show.  The museum bit with Fozzy at 3:01 is clowning at its purest.
More About: Tunes , Itunes , Free , Itune

Traffic On The 8s: February 28th
2007-03-01 13:24:01
Today’s picture comes from flickr user sbisson. Today’s tip: Google Maps + Traffic . Google recently revamped Google Maps to include traffic info for certain cities, and Los Angeles just happens to be one of them. Now not only can you map out your desired route, but know where the t-jams are going to be. With the fickle nature of this wonderful city’s highway system dreadfully apparent, it’s truly a god send. Never get stuck in the hell hole that is the 101/110 crossover again! Thank you Google. Thank you. (via LAist) Send your traffic tips or pictures to submissions ‘at’ ogmog ‘dot’ com. We’ll post our favorites.
More About: February

Write your congressman. Save the World.
2007-03-01 13:24:01
We here at OgMog are very political and very loudmouthed. One reason being: we believe it’s the only way to cope with the present state of our polar ice caps. This post is dedicated to helping you get onboard with saving the world. On March 21st, Al Gore is going before Congress to hand deliver letters promoting energy reform policy. Messages that you can write. Right now. Please take a moment to write in to Al Gore’s Cards to Congress. Took me literally 20 seconds. If you’re particularly strapped for time, I’ve prepared a few, brief pre-written statements for you to copy and paste, after the jump.
More About: World , Write , Your , The World

The Ten Teaser
2007-03-01 01:23:02
First impressions are everything, and that?s why there?s no greater publicity for a movie than an awesome trailer. THINKfilm just released a teaser for THE TEN, directed by David Wain - a member of both Stella and The State and the director of WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER. THE TEN is a collection of sketches, each one about a different commandment. The flick’s got an all-star cast, including Jessica Alba, Adam Brody, Rob Corddry, Paul Rudd, Oliver Platt, Winona Ryder, Liev Schreiber, and Michael Ian Black. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1Y7DDrnGu k More after the jump…
More About: Teaser , Ease , Teas , The Ten

Chinese Scientists Remotely Control Pigeons
2007-03-01 01:23:02
A group of Beijing scientists have succeeded in remotely controlling a bird in flight. By implanting electrodes into the brain, the pigeon reacts to the same stimulus, artificially, that it would normally react to under natural weather conditions. From this, they were able to command the bird to fly up or down, or right or left, just like a basic R.C. airplane. Except this one can shit on you. In case you haven’t already extrapolated the implications of this research, think “spy insects” and “cyborg primates.” Hey, if you buy into Descartes, animals are just machines in the first place, right? And if a real-life Jurassic Park ever gets off the ground, look forward to dino riders. (image via Mutant Palm)
More About: Motel , Scientist , Chinese , Pigeon , Chine

The Joint Custody Project
2007-03-01 01:23:02
On Saturday, I checked out The Join t Custody Project opening at the Found Gallery. First off, very nice party, guys. They had a lot of people, but a nice open space so it didn’t get too crowded, along with some good DJ’s. I was a little disappointed, because I heard the DJ’s would be mashing up with each other, which was not happening. Oh well. Here’s something that I don’t think a lot of people realize; many art show openings are free and open to the public. But, more importantly, many art show openings have an open bar for the public. If you want to check out some future ones, I suggest keeping an eye on Flavorpill. Or make friends with the lanky, goatee’d guy at your local coffee stop. More on the actual show after the jump

Pilot Radar: Mitch Hurwitz’s The Thick of It
2007-03-01 01:23:02
I think most enlightened thinkers can agree that ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT was one of the best shows in the history of television. The creator of that show, Mitchell Hurwitz, has spent his prolonged summer vacation prepping his next foray in television - THE THICK OF IT. An adaptation of a BBC series, Hurwitz’s THE THICK OF IT will follow the office antics of a freshman congressman on Capitol Hill. It’ll show his aides interacting with each other, in addition to their interactions with older, more absurd elements of D.C. politics. Like DEVELOPMENT, THICK OF IT will be a single camera comedy (which seems to be the latest craze in TV land). The Right Honorable Christopher Guest will be directing the pilot, venturing back into episodic television for the first time in a decade and a half. I’ve got high hopes for this series. I trust old Mitch Hurwitz, and I dig his sense of humor. We’ll be following this through casting. If picked up, THE THICK OF IT will air on ABC ...
More About: Radar , Pilot , Witz

April 7th, 2009: Poisonous Analog TV Sets May Destroy Earth
2007-02-27 07:21:02
So, it’s been official for a few months now, but it’s important that everyone know because we all may die shortly after it happens. The Senate approved that April 7th, 2009 will be the official day of crossover from analog to digital TV sets. I’m pretty sure most people have digital TVs now anyway, so it’s not gonna be this crazy, end of the world day where people walk around with glazed-over looks and start eating their pets. But there are upwards of 200 million analog TV sets still in American households and come tax season ‘09, those will be obsolete. So what’s the problem? Well, simply put, analog TVs are full of poison and we’re all going to die. Let’s jump.
More About: Earth , Sets , Troy , Analog

Paper Art by Jen Stark
2007-02-27 07:21:02
Jen Star k creates beautifully stunning sculptures from paper - I can’t help but be mesmerized by the intricacies of her work. For most of the pieces, she layers paper-upon-paper, crafting whatever she feels into a melange of color and shape . She also seems to have a cinematic-eye, as evidenced by the killer stop-motion video on her front page. Take some time and explore her site - my only complaint is that there isn’t more to look at. I’ve included my favorite photos after the jump… (via MAKE: Blog)
More About: Paper , Stark

Moving Servers
2007-02-27 07:21:02
Hello OgMoggers, We’re going to be transitioning to new servers overnight tonight, so if you see any weirdness, don’t have a heart attack.  Drink a bud and think of us. Love, US
More About: Servers , Moving , Server , Ving , Serve

Mini-Mall Rap Video
2007-02-26 19:20:01
What more could you ask for than a fat, bright-eyed, mini-mall tycoon to rap your way into a good Sunday afternoon. This is a great example of a hilarious concept that starts off strong and ends like an old balloon that ran out of air. Highlights: A close up of his “googley-eyed” rap face as well as the classic megaphone backup at the end. Enjoy your “Flea Market Montgomery” ad.
More About: Video , Mini , Mall

Top 5 Firefox plug-ins for OgMoggers
2007-02-26 19:20:01
Many OgMoggers hate Microsoft, love Apple, and would like to meet Linux at a party sometime. With web browsers we, for the most part, abide by those same loyalties. Safari takes the aesthetic gold, Fire fox a close and misunderstood runner-up, and IE is lost in a desert wandering with an empty canteen. The trump card Firefox holds is its huge open source bicep. Download a number of functionality add-ons, and you’ve got a beefy web browser that can give you a web sex-perience to write home about. My Top 5 add-ons after the jump.
More About: Plug-ins , Plug

Amazing Grace: How Okay The Light
2007-02-26 19:20:01
Last night, I caught the 9:40 showing of AMAZING GRACE at the Edward’s in Fresno. My Dad dragged me to see this movie on the recommendation of Yahoo users, who gave it an A-. After watching this movie, I can unabashedly say: Yahoo users are idiots. AMAZING GRACE tells the story of William Wilberforce, an 18th century British politician who fought for nearly two decades for the abolition of the slave trade. GRACE is a Walden film, which means that it’s overloaded with Jesus and feel-goodiness, but it doesn’t have a whole lot of insight or story development. This one’s also got a convoluted story structure - jumping back and forth in time more than Biff in BTTF2. AMAZING GRACE nearly redeemed itself with Albert Finney’s performance as John Newton. I fell in love with the old man in BIG FISH, but he really blew me away in AMAZING GRACE, playing the slaver-turned-priest who wrote the titular gospel hymn. Despite my problems with the flick, Walden managed ...
More About: Grace , Amazing , Light , Amazing Grace

GrogMog: Liveblogging the Oscars
2007-02-26 19:20:01
This writer of our esteemed GrogMog column will be liveblogging the Oscars tonight. For all witty commentary and analysis of the Oscars, join us on OgMog at 5PM PST for live, up-to-the-minute coverage. Not only that, but in true GrogMog form, I’ll be drinking, and the quality v. time elapsed might reflect that. 8:23 PM: I give up.  We were watching the HD channel, which is fashion commentary on repeat.  We missed the first 3 hours of the actual Oscars.  It’s all Crabsense’s fault.  I’d retract this entire post if it weren’t journalistically dubious. Hey everyone, don’t drink and drive. 6:32 PM: Randolph Douche just called Jennifer Hudson a “chocolate goddess.” I hope Helen Mirren goes into heat and eats his brain. 6:19 PM: Rachel Weiss, are you wearing a long pink Wang? More after the jump:
More About: Cars , Scars , Blogging , Blog

Dustin Kensrue: From Pop Metalhead to Wailing Troubadour
2007-02-25 07:18:02
There’s something about a howling harmonica that hits me where it hurts, and the hoarse voice of a love lorn troubadour that makes me squint my eyes, draw my fists to my chest, and sway with the sweeping of the guitar strings. This latest excuse comes from Thrice frontman, Dustin Kensrue, whose trying on his best troub boots with a new song called “Pistol.” On the surface this is just another hoaky, alt-country, blood-bearing ballad (see Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst and Bruce Springsteen). But listen to Dustin again and you’ll hear defeated sarcasm, hands-in-the-air masochism, and his willingness to abandon himself for the bittersweet abuse of something beautiful. Yes, this is a familiar story, one you have heard and told before, but what sets “Pistol” apart is the love sick doublespeak… His new song (mp3) and the women in his music after the jump.
More About: Pop , Metal , Head , Meta

Revival Tent: Tarantino Takes Over the New Bev
2007-02-25 01:17:01
While there aren’t any flicks worth recommending on L.A. revival screens this weekend, LAist has just announced that Quentin Tarantino will be programming the New Bev Cinema for the next two months. In advance of Tarantino’s B-movie homage, GRINDHOUSE, the New Bev has given Tarantino free rein in what they’re calling the Los Angeles Grindhouse Festival 2007. The festival begins next Saturday with THE MACK, a blaxploitation film featuring Richard Pryor. A complete calendar hasn’t been published yet, but here are a few gems scheduled during the first ten days of the festival: THE OLDEST PROFESSION - A collection of sketches about prostitution, spanning from prehistoric cavewhores to futuristic harlot-bots. PICK-UP SUMMER - Two teenage boys spend their time chasing two sisters, annoying a biker gang, and getting into sophomoric hijinks. CHINESE HERCULES - After killing his brother, Chan Wai Man vowed never to raise his fists in anger, but his fellow dock worker...
More About: The N , Take , Rant , Over

OgMog ReCog (2007.8)
2007-02-24 13:16:01
Obama Officially In, Offends Everyone The Dangerous Mind of Mencia Two-Face Cast in BATMAN BEGINS Sequel BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA and the Braff Pack Gaming for Free: Shadowbane White Collar Graffiti DRM: Explained (For Your Dad)

Justice League Movie in 2010
2007-02-24 07:15:01
Awhile back, I heard that Marvel and DC were both planning something innovative. Both companies were putting all of their superhero projects into development, hoping that after audiences had been introduced to the cavalcade of costumed crimefighters, Warner Brothers and Sony could begin upping the ante by making crossover flicks. Unfortunately, WONDER WOMAN is in crazy limbo, the AQUAMAN TV show never surfaced, and THE FLASH hasn’t found its footing. But that isn’t stopping DC from putting a JUSTICE LEAGUE script into development for release in 2010. Possible JUSTICE LEAGUE flick in three years! There are already many issues with the proposed film. For instance, can two superhero-novices tackle such a huge writing project? How will they match such tonally different characters as Superman and Batman? Will Brandon Routh and Christian Bale play the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight, respectively?
More About: Movie , Justice , Just , League , Justice League

Freedom Fridays: Your Week in Free Culture News
2007-02-24 07:15:01
Fridays are cool for a bunch of reasons. One of them is recapping the week and figuring out how your digital rights are being stomped upon/celebrated. Let’s hit it… 1. Fair Use and Film: Documentarians Rejoice - About a year ago, American University?s Center for Social Media released the Documentary Filmmakers? Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use, a report that outlined principles for documentary filmmakers to follow in using copyrighted works legally in their works. Yesterday, it was announced that Media/Professional (an insurance company), LA-based lawyer Michael Donaldson, and the Stanford CIS Fair Use Project will provide servieces to film-makers if the ‘certify’ themselves to have followed the Best Practices guidelines.
More About: News , Freedom , Culture , Cult , Free

March Madness is Almost Here!
2007-02-24 07:15:01
Like most of sporty America, I’ve been in a deep depression since the Super Bowl. I’d had a weekly fix of competitive violence since September and then, poof, it’s gone. The withdrawals have been terrible. But, just when I think I’m gonna start hanging out on the corner of Santa Monica and McCadden to earn the money to pay for NFL Network, NCAA basketball comes to the rescue. This year has all the makings of a great college hoops tournament. Florida is looking for two straight trophies after their football team upset Ohio State in the BCS title game, while Ohio State’s basketball team could well be the team to stop Florida from repeating as national champs. Duke dropped four in a row for the first time in over a decade, the #1 rank changes every week, and my Kansas Jayhawks are cruisin’ at number six. Predictions and exceptionally biased sports reporting after the jump.
More About: March Madness , Here , March , Most , Ness

Replacing Conan: Carson, Jimmy, or Seth?
2007-02-24 07:15:01
In two years, Jay Leno will retire and Conan O’Brien will take up the TONIGHT SHOW banner. Until then, NBC executives are on the search for Conan’s replacement. Here are the three front-runners: Cars on Daly - the former “next Dick Clark” has been late-late-nighting for five years with his half-hour, post-Conan extravaganza. Daly is clearly not a comedian, but his interviewing skills are pretty genuine. Without those joke skills, though, I don’t know how well he’d do in the 12:30 time slot. Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers after the jump…
More About: Carson , Arson

The Venture Bros. on The Sound of Young America
2007-02-23 19:14:02
This week’s The Sound of Young America podcast features an awesome interview with Jackson Publick, creator of Adult Swim’s utterly brilliant and hilarious show, THE VENTURE BROS. For the unfamiliar, THE VENTURE BROS. is a half-hour animated comedy that follows the exploits of Hank and Dean Venture , two Hardy Boys-esque brothers, along with Dr. Venture, their pathetic superscientist father and Brock, a hulking bodyguard/nanny. It’s not only one of the most well-written shows on television right now, but one of the absolute funniest. Basically, if you’re not watching it already, start now. The online interview covers Publick’s personal life, how he went from a comic book shop clerk to TV writer, and why a pop culture reference isn’t the same as a joke. Listen to the podcast HERE. (via Toonzone)
More About: The V