Monthly Archives: March 2013

Taylor Swift Update

Good for her…

Taylor Swift bashes Tina Fey and Amy Poehler for Golden Globe jokes, suggests they are going to hell

Published March 05, 2013

FoxNews.com 

 The lovely and talented Taylor Swift

It’s sometimes hard to believe that the country cutie is only 23.

Taylor Swift is finally firing back at Tina Fey and Amy Poehler for their bit about her during the Golden Globes.

In the April issue of Vanity Fair, Swift opened up about the Golden Globes moment and some misconceptions about her highly publicized love life.

“You know, Katie Couric is one of my favorite people,” Swift told the magazine. “Because she said to me she had heard a quote that she loved, that said, ‘There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.’”

Guess Swift didn’t find Fey and Poehler’s jokes to be all that funny. But the audience did. And Swift told the magazine she’s well aware many find her relationship ups and downs to be entertaining.

But she said that she is not the serial dater that everyone sees her as.

“If you want some big revelation, since 2010 I have dated exactly two people,” she said, in a rare moment of openness about her love life. “[T]he fact that there are slide shows of a dozen guys that I either hugged on a red carpet or met for lunch or wrote a song with. . . it’s just kind of ridiculous.”

And though Swift refuses to get into the specifics of her various breakups, she said she thinks there is nothing wrong with writing about them in her songs.

“For a female to write about her feelings, and then be portrayed as some clingy, insane, desperate girlfriend in need of making you marry her and have kids with her, I think that’s taking something that potentially should be celebrated—a woman writing about her feelings in a confessional way—that’s taking it and turning it and twisting it into something that is frankly a little sexist.”

And something else that’s apparently peeved the pop singer? Those pesky rumors that she was shopping for a house near ex-boyfriend Conor Kennedy’s home.

“People say that about me; that I apparently buy houses near every boy I like—that’s a thing that I apparently do. If I like you I will apparently buy up the real-estate market just to freak you out so you leave me.” Swift vented to the magazine. “One of these things I say to myself to calm myself down when I feel like it’s all too much . . . If there’s a pregnancy rumor, people will find out it’s not true when you wind up not being pregnant, like nine months from now, and if there’s a house rumor, they’ll find out it’s not true when you are actively not ever spotted at that house.”

Though Swift refused to talk about her most recent breakup –with One Direction singer Harry Styles—an unnamed source was “authorized” to talk about it with Vanity Fair.

“He wore her down,” the source said of Styles, adding that he “chased” the songstress before she agreed to date him. “He was all, like, ‘You’re amazing—I want to be with you. I want to do this.’”

Shortly after they began dating, the source claims he was spotted kissing another girl and though Styles and Swift reconciled, she worried he was “looking at every girl.”  The relationship eventually fell apart.

Styles’s rep, Benny Tarantini told the mag that the source’s claims are “undeniably false.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/03/05/taylor-swift-bashes-tina-fey-and-amy-poehler-for-golden-globe-jokes-suggests/?intcmp=features#ixzz2MneCJBsd

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North Korea Vows War

After the embarrassing spectacle of Dennis Rodman’s visit to pal around with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un in “basketball diplomacy” heralded and defended by the mainstream media and the sports/hollywood crowd resulted in what?  A few pictures, and convincing the young dictator Americans are all stupid like Rodman.  Hence the story below:

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North Korea vows to cancel Korean War cease-fire

Published March 05, 2013

Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea –  North Korea vowed Tuesday to cancel the 1953 cease-fire that ended the Korean War, citing a U.S.-led push for punishing U.N. sanctions over its recent nuclear test and ongoing U.S.-South Korean joint military drills.

Without elaborating, the Korean People’s Army Supreme Command warned of “surgical strikes” meant to unify the divided Korean Peninsula and of an indigenous, “precision nuclear striking tool.” The statement came amid reports that Washington and North Korean ally Beijing have approved a draft of a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for sanctions in response to North Korea’s Feb. 12 nuclear test. The draft is expected to be circulated at the U.N. this week.

Such heated military rhetoric and threats are common from North Korea as tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula, and Pyongyang’s recent nuclear test and rocket launches, and the push for U.N. punishment that have followed, have increased already high animosity between the North and Washington and ally Seoul.

The United States and others worry that North Korea’s third nuclear test pushes it a step closer toward its goal of having nuclear-armed missiles that can reach America, and condemn its nuclear and missile efforts as threats to regional security and a drain on the resources that could go to North Korea’s largely destitute people.

North Korea says its nuclear program is a response to U.S. hostility that dates back to the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula still technically in a state of war.

North Korea warned it will cancel the armistice agreement on March 11 because of ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills that began March 1 which the statement called a “dangerous nuclear war targeted at us.”

North Korea said Washington and others are going beyond mere economic sanctions and expanding into blunt aggression and military acts. North Korea also warned that it will block a communications line between it and the United States at the border village separating the two Koreas.

“We aim to launch surgical strikes at any time and any target without being bounded by the armistice accord and advance our long-cherished wish for national unification,” the statement said.

North Korea lays the blame for its much-condemned nuclear weapons programs on the United States.

A rich vein of North Korean propaganda fueled by decades-old American threats holds that the North remains at risk of an unprovoked nuclear attack. Washington and others say brinksmanship is the North’s true motive for the nuclear push.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/03/05/north-korea-vows-to-cancel-korean-war-cease-fire/?intcmp=trending#ixzz2Mkn4f5uI

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Still More Cosplay Pictures

An increasingly popular feature is to post cosplay pictures.  Cosplay is costume play, or anything from dressing up for non-Halloween up to and including lifestyles.  It ranges from steampunk, to comic book characters, movie and TV shows, originals, manga, just about anything.  I post steampunk cosplay under “steampunk airship crew” posts.  You can find those in the search, for more cosplay, type “cosplay” in the search box on the home page.

I try to post a variety and I know a lot of the pictures have pretty women.  However, those ladies have photographers shooting them, post them, and show up to conventions and most get little or no compensation.  If you wish to have your photo here, it is easy.  Mail it to me at eiverness@cox.net.  Put “Picture for Blog site” as the Message.  I don’t care how old, young, gender, gender preference, weight or attractiveness.  If you are having fun, I will post it.  Except…  please nothing vulgar, no nudity, and no fetish cosplay.  I keep my blog PG-13.

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New Meteorite Found In Antartica

Huge Meteorite Found In Antarctica, Largest Discovered There In 25 Years 

The Huffington Post  |  By Posted: 03/01/2013 1:00 pm EST

Meteorite Found Antarctica
An unusually large meteorite has been discovered by an international team of researchers in Antarctica.

The team, searching an area known as the Nansen Ice Field, discovered the 40-pound space rock in late January, according to OurAmazingPlanet.

Scientists from Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Japan’s National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) and Tokyo University were part of the expedition that discovered the extraterrestrial chunk, the largest such meteorite found in the region in close to a quarter century. The team was based out of the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica research station.

“This meteorite was a very unexpected find for us, not only due to its weight, but because we don’t normally find such large meteorites in Antarctica,” Vinciane Debaille, a geologist who led the Belgian arm of the research team, said in a written statement on Feb. 28. “This is the biggest meteorite found in East Antarctica for 25 years, so it’s a very special discovery for us, only made possible by the existence and location of Princess Elisabeth Antarctica.”

Known collectively as SAMBA, the international team had been searching the ice field since mid-December, according to the group’s website. The team’s current project is to collect large meteorites and study them. Eventually, the meteorites will be publicly displayed.

The SAMBA website describes the goal of such research:

Understanding how our planet works necessitates studying its interior. Direct geological records only document the crustal or uppermost fraction of our planet while the deeper parts remain totally outside of our reach. Meteorites coming from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter have recorded information on how other planets formed and evolved through time; from undifferentiated primitive asteroids to differentiated small planets, showing the development of a crust, a mantle, and a metallic core just like those of the Earth.

Debaille’s Feb. 28 statement also explained the group’s work. “We study meteorites in order to better understand how the solar system formed, how it evolved, how the Earth became such a unique planet in our solar system,” said Debaille.

OurAmazingPlanet notes that United States scientists also ventured “out on the polar ice to collect meteorites this season,” but they were searching on the opposite end of Antarctica from the SAMBA outfit.

While meteors generally burn up in the atmosphere, in mid-February a huge meteor exploded over central Russia, showering the area in debris and creating a shock wave that injured hundreds.

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77 Science Fiction/Fantasy Movies in 2013

This is an amazing round-up of science fiction and fantasy movies expected out this calendar year.  Thanks to the people of I09 and StumbleUpon from which I came across this.  Enjoy, and be sure to visit both sites, they rock.  reposted.

O9 2013 PREVIEW

JAN 3, 2013 1:32 PM

77 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies to Watch Out For in 2013

This year, legends walk the silver screen. From Captain Kirk to Superman, our greatest heroes are back, and facing their darkest hours. But 2013’s movies also include some brand new indies from Neill Blomkamp and Shane Carruth, plus a whole lot of fantasy insanity.

Here’s our complete guide to 77 science fiction and fantasy movies coming in 2013.

Note: Items with a * aren’t included in the 77-movie count, since they’re arguably not science fiction or fantasy. We’re just mentioning them because they’re comic-book adaptations, or we suspect they’ll get pretty fantastical.


JANUARY

All Superheroes Must Die (Jan. 4)
This is a indy superhero movie from Jason Trost, director of The FP (last year’s dystopian Dance Dance Revolution comedy) in which a group of superheroes lose their powers and are put through a series of brutal challenges. (Now available on VOD/iTunes/Amazon, in select theaters Friday.)
Outlook: It looks way less silly than The FP, and the trailers actually look tense and dark. And it has Lucas Till (X-Men: First Class) and James Remar (Dexter) in it. Could be fun.

77 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies to Watch Out For in 2013

Storage 24 (Jan. 11)
Doctor Who‘s Noel Clarke stars in this thriller where a military cargo plane crashes in London, releasing its deadly cargo on the city — and a group of people are trapped in a storage facility with a horrific creature.
Outlook: The movie’s Rotten Tomatoes pageis a bloodbath. By all accounts, it really really sucks.

A Haunted House (Jan. 11)
Marlon Wayans stars in this horror spoof, in which a family moves into a house full of spirits and the wife gets possessed by one of them.
Outlook: Honestly, it’s Marlon Wayans making fun of really easy targets. But the trailer does contain the line, “I kicked you in your ghost balls.”

Mama (Jan. 18)
Guillermo del Toro produced this film, based on a creepy short, about two little orphan girls who survive in the wild for five years before being rescued and sent to live with their uncle and aunt (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Jessica Chastain) — but is their dead mother still watching over them?
Outlook: The trailer and original short film are creepy as heck. Del Toro calls this film “claustrophobic,” and it might actually be better than last year’s Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, which he also produced.

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (Jan. 25)
Basically, Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) are all grown up, and now they’re hunting witches, including one played by Famke Janssen.
Outlook: It was pushed from last summer to January — usually a bad sign — but the trailers look like cheesy fun, especially the crazy anachronistic gatling guns and other weapons. Could be this year’s Season of the Witch. John Dies at the End (Jan. 25)
The long-awaited movie adaptation of David Wong’s cult novel about a drug called Soy Sauce that either kills you or lets you see paranormal weirdness — including the Lovecraftian horrors invading our world. Trailer here.
Outlook: Early reviews suggest it’s a highly entertaining yet frustrating ride in which director Don Coscarelli (Bubba Ho Tep) takes a lot of liberties with the book source material.


FEBRUARY

Warm Bodies (Feb. 1)
The adaptation of Isaac Marion’s novel about a zombie (Nicholas Hoult) who falls in love with one of the last remaining humans, and their love might have the power to transform the post-apocalyptic world.
Outlook: The trailers actually look freaking hilarious, and it’s from the director of 50/50, Jonathan Levine. The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (Feb. 1)
A sequel to The Haunting in Connecticut, except that it’s set in Georgia and it’s not a sequel. A family moves into a historic house in Georgia, only to find out they’re not the only thing living there.
Outlook: Ti West (The Innkeepers) was supposed to direct this film but dropped out just before filming started. On the other hand, it has Katee Sackhoff in it, and the trailer actually looks creepy.

The Sorcerer and the White Snake (Feb. 8)
A big-budget adaptation of the ancient Chinese fable about a female snake demon who falls in love with a mortal — and Jet Li plays the sorcerer who tries to slay her.
Outlook: Early reviews suggest the visuals are amazing, but the story is kind of weak.

Side Effects* (Feb. 8)
Stephen Soderbergh’s last ever film is about a woman (Rooney Mara) who takes a “revolutionary” new drug called Ablixa to cope with her husband (Channing Tatum) coming home from prison. And there are insane side effects.
Outlook: Looks pretty great. We’re including it here because the revolutionary new drug looks as though it could be pretty science-fictional.

77 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies to Watch Out For in 2013

Beautiful Creatures (February 13)
One of the year’s many attempts to create a new Twilight, this film adapts the bestselling YA series about a young witch named Lena who becomes an outcast in a small town, and the boy who loves her anyway.
Outlook: It looks cheesy as all get-out, but the notion of using a supernatural teen drama to deal with bullying and peer pressure has a lot of potential. Plus Emma Thompson is in it.

Escape From Planet Earth (Feb. 14)
An intrepid alien astronaut (Brendan Fraser) answers a distress call from Earth — but it’s a trap, and he’s caught in Area 51, and it’s up to his nerdy brother Gary (Rob Corddry) to save him.
Outlook: The voice cast includes William Shatner, Jane Lynch and James Gandolfini. Could be this year’s Planet 51.

Dark Skies (Feb. 22)
Not based on the TV series. This is actually a low-budget horror film starring Kerri Russell, about a suburban family that’s terrorized by aliens. Trailer here.
Outlook: From the director of Priest and Legion. It only started production back in August 2012.


MARCH

Jack the Giant Slayer (March 1)
A fairytale movie from X-Men maestro Bryan Singer, starring Nicholas Hoult as a farmhand who unwittingly opens a doorway to a land of giants, starting a war as the giants try to retake our world.
Outlook: Delayed from summer 2012. Sort of looks like Clash of the Titans, only taking itself more seriously. The Last Exorcism Part 2 (March 1)
The girl who was possibly possessed in the first movie is back, and she’s trying to move on with her life, except for that whole demonic possession thing.
Outlook: The director and writers of the original film aren’t back, and we’re not sure how you can do a sequel without undercutting the superb first movie.

Oz the Great and Powerful (March 8)
Sam Raimi’s long-awaited Wizard of Oz prequel, in which Oz (James Franco) goes to Oz in a balloon and meets all the witches and flying monkeys.
Outlook: The trailers look absolutely gorgeous, in an Avatar/Alice in Wonderlandway, although the story appears to be a standard “vain selfish rogue learns to be a hero” thing. The Croods (March 22)
An animated film about a caveman whose leadership is threatened by a genius who invents things like fire and other wacky gadgets. Oh, and there’s a half-tiger, half-parrot called a “Macarnivore.”
Outlook: This film has been in development for years. At one point the script was co-written by John Cleese. The cast includes Ryan Reynolds, Nic Cage, Emma Stone, Catherine Keener and Cloris Leachman(!). Early reviews say it’s pretty great.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation (March 29)
Another movie delayed from summer, this sequel picks up where the first movie left off — with the President of the United States replaced by an evil imposter.
Outlook: Director Jon M. Chu wowed us with Legion of Extraordinary Dancers. Rumor has it, this movie’s being recut to give Channing Tatum a bigger role, but it’s not clear if Tatum actually came back for re-shoots or if they’re just using every scrap of Tatum footage they could grab off the cutting-room floor.

The Host (March 29)
In Stephenie Meyer’s other big book adaptation, an alien invasion of Earth has already succeeded, with emotionless parasites controlling almost all humans. Except one girl who gets implanted can’t stop loving her boyfriend, and this could change everything. Trailer here.
Outlook: It’s adapted and directed by Andrew Niccol (Gattaca), whose work is always at least thought-provoking. 


APRIL

Upstream Color (April 5)
Primer’s Shane Carruth returns at last, with a strange and confusing movie about a man and a woman who are entangled in “the life cycle of an ageless organism.”
Outlook: Huge, high hopes for this one, based on the lush weird trailers and Carruth’s mind-bending first movie.

Evil Dead (April 12)
Sam Raimi’s famous horror series is back, with an all-new cast. Jane Levy plays a woman struggling to remain sober, who goes to a cabin with her friends and finds the Book of the Dead. You know what happens next.
Outlook: By all accounts, this new film is as gruesome and messed-up as the original, and new director Fede Alvarez seems to have captured Raimi’s insane spark. Fingers crossed. Scary Movie 5 (April 12)
This time, they’re spoofing Black Swan.
Outlook: Really, the title is all you need to know. Oh, you want to know more? Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan play themselves.

Oblivion (April 19/April 12 in IMAX)
Tron Legacy‘s Joseph Kosinski sets out to prove he can launch a brand new franchise, with this story in which humanity has abandoned Earth, except that Tom Cruise comes down to service some drones… and discovers he’s not alone.
Outlook: The trailers look pretty intense and full of eye-candy. A lot depends on the film’s big twist, probably. The Lords of Salem (April 26)
Rob Zombie wrote and directed this horror film in which a radio station DJ gets a mysterious record from the Lords and plays it — only to find that the Lords aren’t a band, they’re the original Lords of Salem, and they’re back for blood.
Outlook: Probably depends if you’re a Rob Zombie fan.


MAY

Iron Man 3 (May 3)
Now that Tony Stark’s helped save the world in The Avengers, this film is going to set about tearing him down again, with the Mandarin and Aldrich Killian destroying Tony’s entire world.
Outlook: Director Shane Black made magic with Robert Downey Jr. in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and writer Drew Pearce brought new life to superheroes with his TV show No Heroics. So fingers crossed! Kiss of the Damned (May 3)
John Cassavetes’ daughter Xan Cassavetes makes her directorial debut with this tribute to 1960s and 1970s Italian vampire movies, starring Heroes’ Milo Ventimiglia.
Outlook: Early reviews suggest this is a “hipster” take on vampire lore that doesn’t really hold up.

About Time (May 10)
A feel-good romance about a man who can travel backwards in time, and decides to use his powers to get a girlfriend.
Outlook: Writer-director Richard Curtis wowed us with his Doctor Who episode about Van Gogh, not to mention his work on Blackadder and Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Star Trek Into Darkness (May 17)
The rebooted versions of Kirk and Spock are back — and they’re facing a mysterious villain (Benedict Cumberbatch) who’s wreaking massive destruction on Starfleet. Can Kirk grow up in time to save the Enterprise?
Outlook: This film’s production was delayed a year, reportedly just because they were trying to get the script right. Let’s hope that attention to the story pays off. Epic (May 24)
An animated fairytale movie based on the based on the William Joyce book The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs. Featuring the voices of Amanda Seyfried and Josh Hutcherson.
Outlook: The first trailer looked pretty lush and beautiful. Director Chris Wedge, who did the first Ice Age, describes it as an adventure on the scale of Star Wars.

The Purge (May 31)
Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey star in this weird movie set in a dystopian future, where overcrowding has forced the United States to institute a 12-hour period every year, during which nothing is a crime. Even murder. One family hides out in their gated community.
Outlook: Even as contrived dystopias go, this one sounds especially contrived. But possibly fun and insane.


JUNE

After Earth (June 7)
Will Smith and his son Jaden star in this movie where humanity has abandoned the Earth after a war with aliens — but a father and son crashland on the ruined Earth, and the father is injured, forcing the son to search for help.
Outlook: M. Night Shyamalan directed and co-wrote this film, but probably didn’t have his usual level of creative control. The visuals certainly look great. This is the End aka The End of the World (June 14)
Seth Rogen adapts his short film Jay and Seth Vs. The Apocalypse. Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco and a bunch of other celebrities play themselves, at a Hollywood party where the end of the world suddenly happens. Here’s the trailer.
Outlook: Remember how Bill Murray played himself randomly in Zombieland? This whole movie is like that. Let’s hope it stays funny.

Man of Steel (June 14)
A retelling of Superman’s origin, in which the Man of Steel grapples with the idea that humanity would hate and fear him if they knew his secret. Here’s the trailer.
Outlook: Christopher Nolan produced this film, and seems pretty jazzed about it. Probably depends how much you want to see an angsty Superman. Monsters University (June 21)
The prequel to Monsters Inc. sees the young Sully and Mike in college, becoming friends and dealing with an evil monster fraternity.
Outlook: Did we really need a prequel toMonsters Inc.? Maybe not. But as long as it’s not another Cars 2, we’re happy.

World War Z (June 21)
Max Brooks’ acclaimed novel about the zombie apocalypse gets a huge adaptation, starring Brad Pitt as a UN employee who must travel the world trying to save it from the deadly pandemic. Trailer here.
Outlook: After this film was completed, they went back for massive reshoots and rewrites, with a whole new ending added by Damon Lindelof. On the other hand, it’s possibly the most zombies on screen ever. Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall (June 28)
The gonzo superhero film gets a sequel, as Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl try to cope with high school and the Red Mist plots revenge.
Outlook: Let’s hope it can channel half the awesome craziness of the first film. A good sign: Jim Carrey is playing a character named Colonel Stars and Stripes.

White House Down* (June 28)
Terrorists take over the White House, and only Channing Tatum can save the president (Jamie Foxx).
Outlook: Only mentioning this because it’s directed by Roland Emmerich and I wouldn’t be surprised if the terrorists have crazy science fiction weapons or something.


JULY

Despicable Me 2 (July 3)
Steve Carrell’s reformed supervillain is back — and this time, someone is capturing his cute twinkie-like minions. Featuring Al Pacino as Gru’s new nemesis.
Outlook: The original directors are back, which is a good sign.

The Lone Ranger (July 3)
Johnny Depp plays Tonto in this completely insane supernatural Western about a “spirit walker” who dies and comes back to bring justice to a small town near the railroad.Here’s the trailer.
Outlook: Depp and director Gore Verbinski have a pretty decent track record together, but everything about this looks horrifying. Depp decided Tonto should have a bird on his head. 

Pacific Rim (July 12)
Massive, horrendous monsters attack the world — forcing the human race to build equally massive mecha to fight back, by punching them.
Outlook: Director Guillermo del Toro promises the most amazing monsters and astounding robots we’ve ever seen, and the first trailer certainly looks like it delivers. 77 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies to Watch Out For in 2013

R.I.P.D. (July 19)
Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges star in this adaptation of the comic book about a dead cop who sticks around to police the supernatural — but he can never see his still-living wife again.
Outlook: It sounds like it has the potential to be the next Ghostbusters, and Jeff Bridges as a ghost mentor is basically the best idea ever.

The Conjuring (July 19)
A family encounters spirits living in their New England farmhouse.
Outlook: From director James Wan (Insidious) — so it’s probably pretty scary.

77 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies to Watch Out For in 2013

The Wolverine (July 26)
A second Wolverine movie, this time based on the character’s most popular storyline in which he goes to Japan and learns the way of the Samurai.
Outlook: We were more excited when it was going to be directed by Darren Aronofsky, but it still has a lot of potential to be fun. Hopefully better than the last Wolverine movie, anyway.

Smurfs 2 (July 31)
The evil wizard Gargamel is still stuck in New York, so he does some magic to bring back the Smurfs — and also create evil albino Smurfs, who try to trick Smurfette into being naughty.
Outlook: If you liked the first Smurf movie and the idea of albino Smurf peer pressure doesn’t bother you, then you might like this one, too.


AUGUST

300: Rise of an Empire* (August 2)
A prequel to 300, charting the rise of King Xerxes, the ruler who got his ass kicked by the Spartans.
Outlook: A first-time director came on board to try and recreate Zack Snyder’s amazing slow-mo fighting and visuals. Including this because it’s based on a comic book.

RED 2* (August 2)
The sequel to the surprisingly quite entertaining film about retired spies who are being hunted down. This time, they have to stop a terrorist with a portable nuclear device.
Outlook: Another one we’re mentioning since it’s based on comic-book source material.

Elysium (August 9)
District 9‘s Neill Blomkamp returns with another highly political science fiction film about a world where the rich live on a lush space station and poor people (like Matt Damon) struggle on Earth to get healthcare and basic necessities.
Outlook: Based on Blomkamp’s first film and everything he’s said about this one, we have high hopes. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (Aug. 16)
Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) is back, and this time he and his friends are searching for the mystical Golden Fleece.
Outlook: Nathan Fillion is playing the god Hermes, opposite Sean Bean as Zeus. Also Anthony Head plays the centaur Chiron this time. We’re in.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones(Aug. 23)
Another would-be Twilight, this adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s novel features a young girl named Clary (Lily Collins) who discovers that she has a supernatural destiny after a demon attacks her mother. Here’s the trailer.
Outlook: Looks like an immense guilty pleasure. Insidious Chapter 2 (August 30)
Director James Wan is back to show us what happened after the WTF ending of the first movie about a boy who’s possessed by demons.
Outlook: Not sure how you can pick up after that ending, but at least all the original cast are back, including Barbara Hershey.

Satanic (August 30)
A “Rosemary’s Baby-influenced” film about a girl (Ashley Green) who must defend her dorm from a mysterious attacker when she and her friends are staying there over Spring Break.
Outlook: From the director of Donkey Punch and the writer of Vanishing on 7th Street. It only started production in late 2012.


SEPTEMBER

77 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies to Watch Out For in 2013

Riddick (September 6)
He’s back! Vin Diesel’s amazingly antiheroic space adventurer returns, and this time he’s being stalked by bounty hunters. One of whom is Katee Sackhoff.
Outlook: Diesel and writer/director David Twohy promise this is a return to Pitch Blackform, after the over-the-top Chronicles of Riddick.

I, Frankenstein (September 13)
Aaron Eckhart plays Frankenstein’s monster, who finds himself caught up in an endless war between two immortal monster clans.
Outlook: Could be fun. Director Stuart Beattie did a pretty decent job with Tomorrow When the War Began.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (Sept. 27)
The sequel to the acclaimed animated film, formerly called Revenge of the Leftovers. Flint has moved on after the foodstorm from the first movie — until he finds out his machine is still active and is creating food monsters.
Outlook: The original writers and directors aren’t back, and it’s not based on the second book in the series.

The Tomb (September 27)
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone star in this action-thriller about a structural engineer who is falsely accused of a crime and has to break out of the ultimate high-tech prison… which he designed.
Outlook: We’re a sucker for “ultimate high-tech prison” stories. 


OCTOBER

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For* (Oct. 4)
The long-awaited sequel to Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’s zany neo-noir film about the town with no mercy, where all the women wear lingerie.
Outlook: Including this because it’s based on a comic, and is likely to be so over the top that it strays into fantasy territory.

Haunt (October 11)
Two teenagers fall in love and explore an old house, only to discover a terrifying alternate dimension inside, in this horror film.
Outlook: From the producers of Paranormal Activity and District 9.

The Devil’s Rapture (October 11)
Formerly known as The Occult, this is a film about a small town that lives with a Satanic prophecy — and after six girls are born on the same night, they seem to be fulfilling it. Fast forward 18 years, and the girls all start dying. Serial killer, or Satan?
Outlook: Featuring Rufus Sewell, who often does creepy well, plus Colm Meaney.

Carrie (October 18)
Delayed from March, this is the remake of the classic Stephen King tale, about a girl who has a really bad prom night. Trailer is here.
Outlook: Director Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry) and star Chloë Grace Moretz seem like the perfect choices for this project — plus Julianne Moore plays the mom. 

Seventh Son (October 18)
Jeff Bridges is an old witch-hunter, as he takes on a young apprentice and prepares to do battle with a witch played by Julianne Moore. Who basically owns this weekend.
Outlook: We can’t say no to Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore as witch-hunter and witch. The World’s End (October 25)
The other zany apocalyptic comedy, this one features Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as two friends who go on a pub crawl and confront the end of days. Along with Martin Freeman.
Outlook: It’s the long-awaited third film in the “Cornetto Trilogy” by Pegg, Frost and director Edgar Wright, after Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

Paranormal Activity 5 (Oct. 25)
Something paranormal is happening, and some cameras are going to capture it, but not very well.
Outlook: Someone is still going to see these movies, so they’re going to keep making them every year.


NOVEMBER

Ender’s Game (Nov. 1)
“Ender” Wiggin is a child prodigy who gets recruited to a very special program — but it’s even more special than he realized, in the adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s acclaimed novel.
Outlook: Everyone involved with this film seems to be obsessed with doing justice to the book, and the level of attention to detail is pretty astounding. Plus Harrison Ford is playing Col. Graff. Mr. Peabody & Sherman (Nov. 1)
The classic cartoon about a super-smart dog, his human son, and their time machine is coming to the big screen — and the Child Protective Services may have decided that a dog is not a fit parent, after all.
Outlook: We saw a huge chunk of this film recently, and it won us over, big time.

Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8)
The second Marvel film this year, coming offAvengers, sees Thor facing some Dark Elves, led by Christopher Eccleston.
Outlook: Directed by Game of Thronesveteran Alan Taylor, who’s apparently bringing some of that realism to Asgard. 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Nov. 22)
Katniss has won the Hunger Games, so this second movie is probably just going to be her sipping tea and learning to golf. Or possibly, getting sent back for a new, deadlier all-star games. We’ll see.
Outlook: Original director Gary Ross bailed off the project, so he’s been replaced by I Am Legend‘s Francis Lawrence. Let’s hope Lawrence can do justice to, arguably, the least satisfying book in the trilogy. Frozen (November 27)
Disney’s retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Snow Queen,” about a young girl who must travel to find the Snow Queen and save her land from perpetual winter.
Outlook: Early glimpses look gorgeous, and it features the voice of Kristen Bell.


DECEMBER

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug(Dec. 13)
Bilbo Baggins is back again, and this time he’s facing a dragon — played by Benedict Cumberbatch!
Outlook: If the decision to turn The Hobbitinto a trilogy rather than a duology results in excessive bloat, this is probably the film where you’re going to see it most. Walking With Dinosaurs (December 20)
The BBC makes a lavish, 3D version of their acclaimed TV series, about a dinosaur family who must go on a perilous journey.
Outlook: Early buzz suggests that this is going to look astonishing — but turning a documentary series into a narrative film could be a tricky undertaking.

Saving Mr. Banks* (December 20)
A drama about author P.L. Travers going to London as Disney is adapting her novel Mary Poppins to the big screen.
Outlook: Including this since it’s a fictional account of the making of a classic fantasy movie. Tom Hanks plays Walt Disney!

47 Ronin (December 25)
Another long-delayed film, this one is a retelling of the Japanese story, with Keanu Reeves fighting supernatural forces.
Outlook: This has been pushed back again and again, amidst rumors of creative disputes and editing-suite battles, until finally being buried on Christmas, the date where genre films go to die.


UNDATED

These are films we’re pretty sure are coming in 2013, but no release date yet.

Gravity
Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men) directs this lavish film about an astronaut (Sandra Bullock) who’s stranded in space and trying to return to the International Space Station.
Outlook: Early buzz suggests it’s beautiful, but maybe a bit boring. On the other hand, we’re dying for a good realistic space movie.

Frankenstein’s Army
At the end of World War II, Russian soldiers stumble on a secret Nazi lab, where the Nazis have been using Frankenstein’s techniques to create new supersoldiers. A Dutch movie, which should be hitting our screens sometime this year.
Outlook: Nazi Frankenstein monsters? Sounds promising.

The Prototype
A military robot escapes from an FBI storage facility and goes on a rampage. A small, low-budget film from the makers of the low-budget soldier movie Act of Valor.
Outlook: The trailer and pitch video look pretty cool, and this movie was made for a surprisingly high $40 million. 

77 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies to Watch Out For in 2013

Byzantium
Neil Jordan returns to vampires for the first time since Interview with a Vampire for this story of two vampires (Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan) who pose as mother and daughter.
Outlook: Early buzz suggests it’s Jordan’s best work in years, and could be a sleeper hit.

77 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies to Watch Out For in 2013

Under the Skin
Scarlett Johansson plays an alien, disguised as a beautiful woman, who travels around Scotland preying on humans with her “voracious sexuality.”
Outlook: At the very least, it sounds entertaining.

Haunter
Instead of getting to direct Neuromancer, Vincenzo Natali took on this ghost movie, starring Abigail Breslin as a teenager who died in 1986 but is unable to leave her family’s house, and reaches out to save a living girl from the same fate.
Outlook: It’s a neat reversal of the usual ghost-movie tropes, and we’re curious to see how Natali will make the tired haunted-house stuff fresh again.

Snow Piercer
Chris Evans stars in Bong Joon-ho’s adaptation of the French comic book set on a frozen Earth, where everybody lives on trains that are highly class-segregated. Probably coming in the summer, since the Weinstein Company reportedly sees this as a big tentpole movie.
Outlook: The comic is really weird and beautiful, and our first glimpse of this film was amazing. Plus we loved Bong’s The Host. 7500
Another long-delayed film, this one is about an airplane that gets haunted by a ghost. StarringTrue Blood‘s Ryan Kwanten.
Outlook: This film has been in the can for a long time, so it’s not looking good.

In Your Eyes
Joss Whedon wrote the screenplay for this tiny-budget romance about a man and a woman (Michael Stahl-David and Zoe Kazan) who are linked in ways that they can’t possibly realize.
Outlook: When Whedon steps back to do a small indie project, it’s usually even better than his other stuff. Fingers crossed!

77 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies to Watch Out For in 2013

Odd Thomas
The big-screen adaptation of Dean Koontz’s bestselling book series, starring Anton Yelchin. It’s been in the can for a while, and is almost certainly coming this year.
Outlook: Koontz says this is the only movie adaptation of his work that he’s ever been happy with.

Left Behind
They’re rebooting the classic rapture series — and Nic Cage is starring! By all accounts, it’ll be out in the fourth quarter of 2013 sometime.
Outlook: Nic Cage starring in a movie about the Rapture. That either fills you with glee, or it doesn’t.

Dorothy of Oz
Another movie that’s been done for a while, featuring Glee‘s Lea Michele as Dorothy.
Outlook: The first trailer looked like a terrible 1990s video game cutscene.

Sources: Studio press releases, plus IMDBBox Office MojoFilm-ReleasesFirst ShowingThe Numbers and Movie Insider

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Incredible Pencil Sculpturing

Reposted from The Chive

Some people take boredom a bit more seriously (15 HQ Photos)

MARCH 2, 2013 | IN: ARTHIGH-RESMIND BLOWING

FOLLOW  ON TAPITURE

 

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26 Moments That Restored Our Faith In Humanity This Year

Some good news on the humanity front…

26 Moments That Restored Our Faith In Humanity This Year

Sometimes you need a reminder that people can do wonderful things.posted on December 14, 2012 at 6:40pm EST

Matt StoperaBuzzFeed Staff
1. The parents who made their son’s wheelchair into the best Halloween costume ever

The parents who made their son's wheelchair into the best Halloween costume ever

2. The terminally ill man who loves receiving mail… and got more than he ever expected

The terminally ill man who loves receiving mail... and got more than he ever expected

Scott Widak has Down syndrome and suffers from liver disease, and he loves receiving mail. His nephew Sean posted his P.O. Box on Reddit and the site’s users responded with hundreds of letters, packages, and gifts.

3. A kind stranger who stopped a day from being ruined

A kind stranger who stopped a day from being ruined

4. The doctor who offered free medical care after Hurricane Sandy

The doctor who offered free medical care after Hurricane Sandy

5. And the people that helped out any way that they could

And the people that helped out any way that they could

Hospital employees make a human chain passing containers of fuel up 13 flights of stairs to the backup generator at Bellevue Hospital in New York City.

6. The older couple who saw themselves in two young parents

The older couple who saw themselves in two young parents

7. This Libyan child who doesn’t believe in hate

This Libyan child who doesn't believe in hate

8. The parents who tattooed insulin pumps on their bellies so their diabetic son wouldn’t feel “different”

The parents who tattooed insulin pumps on their bellies so their diabetic son wouldn't feel "different"

9. The police officer who bought shoes for a barefoot homeless man

The police officer who bought shoes for a barefoot homeless man

Jennifer Foster was visiting Times Square on Nov. 14 when she snapped the heartwarming moment. Here’s her account of what happened:

“Right when I was about to approach, one of your officers came up behind him. The officer said, ‘I have these size 12 boots for you, they are all-weather. Let’s put them on and take care of you.’ The officer squatted down on the ground and proceeded to put socks and the new boots on this man. The officer expected NOTHING in return and did not know I was watching*. I have been in law enforcement for 17 years. I was never so impressed in my life. I did not get the officer’s name. It is important, I think, for all of us to remember the real reason we are in this line of work. The reminder this officer gave to our profession in his presentation of human kindness has not been lost on myself or any of the Arizona law enforcement officials with whom this story has been shared.”

10. And the police officers who made blind 13-year-old Gage Hancock-Stevens’ dream of being a cop come true

And the police officers who made blind 13-year-old Gage Hancock-Stevens' dream of being a cop come true

They even gave him a cake

They even gave him a cake

11. The Michigan soccer team who gave their team manager with Down syndrome an opportunity to start

The Michigan soccer team who gave their team manager with Down syndrome an opportunity to start

Source: Courtney Sacco  /  via: annarbor.com

Source: Courtney Sacco  /  via: annarbor.com

Source: Courtney Sacco  /  via: annarbor.com

12. The Texas A&M students that blocked Westboro Baptist Church protesters with a human wall

The Texas A&M students that blocked Westboro Baptist Church protesters with a human wall

When students heard that Westboro Baptist Church planned on protesting the funeral of a soldier, they formed a human barricade around the funeral service to block them out.

13. And this brave kid who stood up against hate

And this brave kid who stood up against hate

14. The woman who kept a homeless man dry during a downpour

The woman who kept a homeless man dry during a downpour

15. The Disney security guard who is amazing at his job

The Disney security guard who is amazing at his job

16. The Icelandic heroes who rescued sheep during a major snowstorm

The Icelandic heroes who rescued sheep during a major snowstorm

17. The quick-thinking little girl who saved her mom’s life by slapping her with a piece of pizza

18. The young girl who loves her dog unconditionally

The young girl who loves her dog unconditionally

Source: twentytwowords.com  /  via: cheezburger.com

19. The famous rugby player who visited his biggest fan in the hospital

The famous rugby player who visited his biggest fan in the hospital

20. The bros who worked together to save a cat

The bros who worked together to save a cat

21. The community that came together to make Caine’s dream a reality

The community that came together to make Caine's dream a reality

You can watch the full story here.

22. The football star who gives children in need a shopping spree each year

The football star who gives children in need a shopping spree each year

This is a receipt for $19,000 in toys.

23. The man who comforts the old dog that saved his life

The man who comforts the old dog that saved his life

When John Unger had suicidal thoughts after a breakup, it was his dog Shoep who brought him back from the brink. This photograph shows Unger cradling his friend in lake Superior to soothe the dog’s arthritis.

24. These candidates for parents of the year

These candidates for parents of the year

25. The amazing couple who stuck together through unbelievable odds

The amazing couple who stuck together through unbelievable odds

26. And every single time anything like this happened.

And every single time anything like this happened.

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Cute Dogs for Your Monday Blues!

More cute dog pictures.  For earlier posts, please type “cute dogs” into the search block on the home page.  Enjoy!

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More Random Humor

More random humor for your enjoyment.  For more, type “humor” in the search box on the home page.

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Did Phoenicians Beat Columbus by 2,000 years?

Transatlantic crossing: Did Phoenicians beat Columbus by 2000 years?

By Sheena McKenzie, for CNN
February 28, 2013 — Updated 1317 GMT (2117 HKT)
Setting sail from Spain with a crew of 90 men, Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean in 1492. But it's unlikely he was the first European to set foot in the New World... Setting sail from Spain with a crew of 90 men, Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean in 1492. But it’s unlikely he was the first European to set foot in the New World…
Was Columbus first?
  • British adventurer aims to sail replica Phoenician sailboat across Atlantic
  • Journey could prove ancient civilization capable of reaching America
  • Could challenge theory Christopher Columbus first discovered New World
  • Historian dispute likelihood Phoenicians landed in America

Editor’s note: MainSail is CNN’s monthly sailing show, exploring the sport of sailing, luxury travel and the latest in design and technology.

(CNN) — Christopher Columbus has long been the poster boy Renaissance explorer who found fame and fortune by sailing from the Old World to the New.

Crossing the great unknown waters between Spain and the Caribbean in 1492, he became one of the most renowned — and pivotal — Europeans to set foot in America.

But more than five centuries later, a British adventurer plans to show that the New World could have been reached by another seafaring nation 2,000 years before Columbus.

Former Royal Navy officer Philip Beale hopes to sail a replica Phoenician boat 10,000 kilometers across the Atlantic in an ambitious voyage that could challenge maritime history.

Expedition leader Philip Beale.

Expedition leader Philip Beale.

By completing the journey, Beale aims to demonstrate that the Phoenicians — the ancient Mediterranean civilization that prospered from 1500BC to 300BC — had the capability to sail to the U.S.; a theory disputed by historians.

“It is one of the greatest voyages of mankind and if anyone could have done it [before Columbus], it was the Phoenicians,” said Beale.

“Of all the ancient civilizations they were the greatest seafarers — Lebanon had cedar trees perfect for building strong boats, they were the first to use iron nails, and they had knowledge of astrology and currents.”

 

The prospect of sailing a 50-ton wooden vessel identical to those built 2,600 years ago across the Atlantic might appear foolhardy, had Beale not already challenged maritime history two years ago.

Beale sailed the replica boat — aptly named The Phoenician — around Africa in 2010, in a bid to demonstrate the ancient civilization had the capability to circumnavigate the continent 2,000 years before the first recorded European; Bartolomeu Dias, in 1488.

Setting sail from Syria in 2008, The Phoenician covered 32,000 kilometers over two years, battling everything from six-meter waves off the Cape of Good Hope to Somali pirates.

“We had run the gauntlet of pirate-infested waters, overcome numerous technical problems and traveled deep into the Indian and Atlantic Oceans,” Beale says in a new book on the incredible voyage; ‘Sailing Close to the Wind.’

“I had proved she was an ocean-going vessel and when she was coasting along the waves, her sail billowing in the wind; to captain her had been an unforgettable experience.”

Beale based his ambitious quest on a quote by Greek Historian Herodotus, who claimed the Phoenicians circumnavigated Africa in 600BC.

Along with their sophisticated seafaring skills, the Phoenicians were renowned as an intellectual and industrious civilization who helped develop the alphabet we still use today.

Highly skilled in metalwork, ivory carving and glass-making, the name Phoenician derives from the iconic purple color they used to dye their superior textiles.

Dr Julian Whitewright, maritime archaeologist at the University of Southampton, added that a Phoenician voyage around Africa was “quite a plausible undertaking, based on the capabilities of the vessel of the period and historical material stating it took place.”

The boat was modeled on an ancient 19-meter Phoenician shipwreck excavated off the coast of Marseille. Using locally-sourced materials, shipbuilders stayed true to the original down to the exact thickness of the planks and position of the mast.

The crew of volunteers ranged from six to 15 people at any time, with 53 sailors from 14 different countries taking part over the entire journey.

It is one of the greatest voyages of mankind and if anyone could have done it, it was the Phoenicians
Philip Beale

“We didn’t have any mechanical winches and the anchor had to be pulled up and down by hand — it was back-breaking work,” Beale said.

“There was just one traditional toilet which dropped straight into the ocean, so you literally had to step out on the side of the boat to use it. When you had big waves coming at you in the middle of the night it could be quite scary. But at least there was no cleaning.”

The final leg of the journey took them wide out across the Atlantic and a mere 965 kilometers off the coast of Florida. It was here Beale got his inspiration for the journey to the U.S.

“Archeologists have found Egyptian mummies with traces of tobacco and cocaine which could only have come from the New World,” Beale said. “It indicates there was something going on across the Atlantic.”

Dr Mark McMenamin, professor of geology at Holyoke College, also points to evidence of Phoenician coins bearing maps of the Old and New World. He said copper coins with Phoenician iconography have also also been discovered in North America.

“The available evidence suggests that the Carthaginians (the western tribe of the Phoenicians) had the ability to cross the Atlantic at will,” he said.

Many historians however, remain doubtful. “If the Phoenicians got to England — which we think they did — I wouldn’t be surprised if the boat could get to America physically. But whether they could have done it without running out of food is a different matter,” maritimehistorian Sam Willis said.

There’s plenty of solid archeological proof the vikings got to America
Historian Sam Willis

“If you’re circumnavigating Africa you can always stop along the way. But you can’t when you’re going to America — it’s a massive stretch of sea and that’s the difference.”

Setting off from Tunisia, the modern-day Phoenician vessel is expected to take two to three months to reach America — granted Beale can raise £100,000 ($156,000) for the expedition.

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art has already invited him to display the boat as part of their upcoming exhibition on the Phoenicians, opening in September 2014.

“The conventional wisdom is that Christopher Columbus discovered America. But anyone who looks a little closer will see the Vikings were there around 900AD. They’ve found Viking settlements in Newfoundland, it’s undisputed,” Beale said.

“So Columbus was definitely second — at best. I put forward the theory that the Phoenicians could have been first and I hope to prove that was the case.”

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