RIP Robin Williams

Today many of us are waking to the sad news that Robin Williams has passed away in a suspected suicide. Like you, we are in a state of grieving and you can expect a number of articles that celebrate his life and his work. for now, I just want to take a moment to remember the man that was Robin Williams.

 

Also, his wife released the following statement;

This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin’s family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief… As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.

It’s a stark reminder that depression is very real and can hit any of us. Don’t ever be ashamed if you even suspect you may be at risk. Seek help immediately, don’t ever ever face it alone. Because you are not.

Spare a thought for everyone affected by depression and the long battles people face. Robin Williams will always be remembered fondly and here at OneOfUs we’ll be celebrating him in the coming days.

Source: Telegraph

Public Axis #87: Dino Foxx & Bryan Ortiz

The Most Disgusting Visuals! Diaries of the Past! Beliefs Under Scrutiny! The truth is out there – and specifically, it’s on the Public Axis podcast with guests Dino Foxx and Byran Ortiz!

Recorded at the Blind Tiger Comedy Club on August 7th, 2014.

00:00 Welcome to the Blind Tiger!  This week, we’re located in the super secret basement comedy spot, The Blind Tiger Comedy Club and we’re pleased as punch to welcome back the very fabulous Dino Foxx, burlesque entertainer/writer extraordinaire. Also, filling in for Regan while he’s adventuring out in Sydney, Australia is our super-pal and fantastic filmmaker Bryan Ortiz.

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17:51 Yeah, Aight Den!  Topic #1: What is the grossest thing you have ever seen in your entire life? (Inspired by the children’s book series and museum exhibit, Grossology.)

54:34 Dad’s Corner(ed)! Topic #2: Did you ever have a journal or diary when you were a kid? And if so, share an excerpt! (Very exploratory stuff here, folks!)

1:34:13 Hey, That’s Not Funny! Topic #3: What is something you believe in that most people don’t believe in? (Inspired by an article on phenomena that science hasn’t been able to fully explain.)

1:55:37 What Did We Come to Know? Public Axis is an educational program and at the end, we always ask our guests and listeners, “What did you come to know?” Enlighten yourself.

Again, thanks for listening! As always, be sure to check out BLOOD COUSINS, our first feature film! It is waiting for you at bloodcousinsmovie.com! A movie of comedy, terror and revenge – a MUST SEE for fans of this show! Use the promo code FIESTATUBE and score it for $5!

Let your friends know about Public Axis on Facebook and Twitter and keep those Facebook comments coming at our Happy Campers group!

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‘Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice’ Dodges Captain America’s Mighty Shield

With the recent news that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice moved its May 6, 2016 release date to March 25 in order to avoid Marvel’s Captain America 3, the interwebs are ablaze with speculation as to why. Is Warner Bros. scared of Marvel’s Cinematic Juggernaut? Is there a lack of confidence in BvS?

 

 

With so many rumors being spread across numerous sites, it felt appropriate to list and evaluate the most popular theories for Batman v Superman’s change of release date.

The Four Year Long Wait

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Fans last saw Superman in 2012’s Man of Steel, and are waiting four years to see him again alongside a cowl-covered Ben Affleck. Filmgoers can lose interest fast, and Warner Brothers’ choice to play the long game may have them questioning whether they could have matched a hero like Cap who had already been featured in three films. The Star-Spangled Avenger will be seen again in 2015 in Joss Whedon’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Audiences will have already been able to experience another Marvel adventure with Cap before BvS hits theatres in 2016. Not only will viewers be more intimately familiar with Steve Rogers and his place in the Marvel Universe, it is possible that they would be more willing to see what he does next.

 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

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Chris Evans really came into his own playing Captain America in The Winter Soldier. He didn’t have to play second fiddle to Robert Downey Jr., who can chew scenery to a fault in films like The Avengers. It was his movie, and he showed that playing a hero with absolute altruism could be just as endearing as a hero who liked to crack snarky jokes. Audiences embraced Winter Soldier, and it’s considered to be one of the most commercially and critically successful films of 2014. With all the positive buzz surrounding Cap, DC probably took note of that and considered what it could mean to face off against its sequel.

 

Man of Steel

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Man of Steel was a commercially successful film with a large number of supporters, but the film did receive a fair amount of criticism for its take on the Last Son of Krypton. The often talked about final act of the film, in which Superman and Zod destroy entire blocks of Metropolis, depicted a Superman that filmgoers and comic readers didn’t expect to see. This Superman was a being that may have talked about hope and peace, but didn’t often show much remorse when contributing to the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians when battling across his native city. It turned a lot of people off, and turned even more people against director Zack Snyder’s take on the Man of Tomorrow.

The mixed reaction to Man of Steel  could be a contributing factor as to why Warner Bros. opted to avoid pitting their team-up sequel against a hero like Cap, who has often put the lives of others above himself.

 

The Marvel Machine

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No one can deny that Marvel’s cinematic universe has been successful. Sure, you have some pretty big missteps like Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World, but you have some wonderful cinematic achievements like The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. Everyone questioned whether Marvel could actually bring together their heroes into one cohesive universe. Not only did they do that, but they made sure that several sequels and numerous films featuring little known heroes like Ant-Man were already in the works.

Audiences who aren’t even familiar with most Marvel properties can recognize that Marvel Studios regularly puts out cinematic content that is pretty good. While you may not always receive gems like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel movies can at least provide 2 hours of escapist entertainment. It is possible that Warner Bros. blinked in the face of the Marvel Machine.

 

The Box Office

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When it comes right down to the nitty gritty, both Disney and Warner Bros. want to make money. There is no question about that. Had Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America 3 gone head-to-head, the financial loss would have been catastrophic for both films. One of them balking first because of this fact isn’t that surprising.

If they had gone head-to-head on that May weekend, who would have come out on top? I’d probably have to give it to BvS on account of the fact that no one has ever seen a theatrical live-action appearance of both Batman and Superman on the silver screen together. The idea of DC’s most iconic heroes fighting for supremacy might attract the larger audience, an audience that has already seen Cap in four Marvel films to that date. Again, this is pure speculation on my part. Regardless, both films are more likely to do better financially now that they are separated than they would’ve on that weekend together.

What about you reader? Any ideas why Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice changed its release date? What you have done the same if you were making that decision? Let us know in the comments below!
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Letters From the Intern Dungeon: Our Master Wanted Coffee

Here at the Most Glorious Website of One Of Us, we like to think we run a tight ship and put out only the finest in web content. We do all of this all in service to you, the internet public, and to Brian and Chris, our supreme leaders born of heaven. Below, you’ll find a letter written by a member of the INTERN-Net that provides some insight into the great experience that is working with us.

 

 

Dear Internet (No pun intended I SWEAR),

I hope that you guys can relate to everyday work problems, because gosh damn it, One of Us can be an awesome work place. However, sometimes people make mistakes, and I want you to keep that in mind for the duration of my punishment.

Today, Master Salisbury Steak was very angry during the Ninja Turtles Review. So then he yelled down to the Dungeon of interns, “Somebody get me some pizza… AND SOME COFFEE WHILE YOU’RE AT IT!”

After that, we partook in an ancient ritual of ‘rock, paper, spock’. It was indeed a valiant battle, but I emerged victorious! Laughing condescendingly, I crawled out of the Dungeon, and hopped on my skateboard. On my way back… well, this reenactment can explain it better:

 

Master Salisbury was furious. So now he wants me to publish this article as punishment by humiliation. On the bright side, he said that we were getting fresh clean steel chains next week! It’s a good thing too, because these rusty ones were giving me tetanus. All hail the lords of One of Us! (I hope I get an extra penny in my non existent paycheck!)

But enough about we, let’s talk about Us! Few things beat a job that is full of terrible work, grating customers, hellish management, and absurd hours. However, it can be a blast recounting some horror stories from the job and commiserating with others. Are there any crappy days at the work place that you think is entertaining? The really good ones (real or fake) gets a high-five from the INTERN-net. So use those keyboards and discuss, and perhaps you’ll be ONE OF US!

We’ll be down in the Dungeon if you need us!

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SMARK COUNTRY: Musings of a WWE Live Attendee

Firstly, I’d like to apologize for the hiatus. The past several weeks have seen big changes, so I’ve been spread pretty thin. I’d like to give thanks to the good people at Oneofus.net and to you, the readers, for your continued support.

 

 

 

This past week, I attended Monday Night Raw, live from Austin, Texas. For those who have never attended a live wrestling show, let alone a WWE event, you are depriving yourself of one of the most exhilarating experiences one could have watching a sporting event. The fans, the signs, the chants, the cheers, the beers, all coalesce into a maelstrom of regalement.

Being that this is the first actual televised show that I’ve been to in quite a while, I felt alienated, yet quite at home all at the same time. Some things have changed and some never will in the world of professional wrestling. As such, I have listed ten things of note that stood out to me whilst in attendance.

10.) Why do we have to put up with commercials at a live event? This is a serious question. Just because the people at home have to sit through dozens of commercials for the sake of advertising revenue doesn’t mean the people who pay good money for tickets should have to be bombarded in the same way.

9.) Merchandise is not as outrageously priced as one would expect. Well, not all of it anyway. Most of the t-shirts were between twenty and thirty dollars, which is a tad higher than in stores, but not unreasonable. Shield dog tags were going for ten dollars, which is very reasonable. Masks varied in cost, and though I’d be willing to pay twenty for a Goldust or Stardust mask, asking that much for Luke Harper’s sheep mask is a bit absurd.

8.) Even in a two minute match, Dolph Ziggler is still better than 90% of the WWE roster. Watching him in action live TRULY makes one resent WWE upper management for not pushing Zig as the main event star he was born to be.

7.) The Wyatt family has captivated wrestling fans in a way that no other heel faction has since the nWo back in 1996. From the cell phone lights during their dark entrance to the ring, to the children singing along “He’s Got the Whole World…In His Hands”, Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Eric Rowan are lightning in a bottle. Bray is, arguably, one of the biggest heels on the active roster. And not any kids within listening distance booed him. Not a single one.

6.) It is much more difficult to run into superstars around the arena to interact with than it was years ago. Running into Jeff Hardy or Bobby Roode at a TNA show was awesome. Seeing Val Venis or Grandmaster Sexay at old WWE shows around the arena was a treat. Stumbling across the Giant (now the Big Show) backstage, right after he choke-slammed Diamond Dallas Page onto a dislodged WCW sign, truly made me appreciate these larger than life athletes as human beings, that aren’t impervious to injury. I can understand though, the wrestlers’ desire to stay low key. They probably have more multimedia exposure and because of their rigorous schedules, they most likely do all they can to be incognito.

5.) Not as many people carry signs these days. The Raw and Nitro shows that I attended ten to twenty years ago occasionally required standing up for extended periods due to the sheer number of people in the arenas holding signs. The last three shows that I’ve gone to, not so much. Could it be because of the PG rating and more children are in attendance than in the past two decades? Or are there more casual fans just getting into the sport nowadays? I haven’t been able to discern.

4.) Seeing big men not get winded as much as in years past is a pleasant surprise. The bodybuilder fetish that Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis harbored created an environment where these chiseled musclemen, who couldn’t wrestle and were easily winded, kept getting hired. How times have changed. Guys like Sheamus, Titus O’Neil, Big E, Rusev and the like, these athletes fire on all cylinders and rarely slow down and resort to rest holds for extended periods…EVEN DURING COMMERCIAL BREAK. I have much respect for these guys’ conditioning.

3.) There is much less talking and much more wrestling. The Attitude Era, as much as I loved it, was guilty of having nearly half the program eaten up by long winded vignettes and promos, and not all of the superstars were as talented mic workers as Stone Cold Steve Austin or The Rock. It is good that booking, in recent years, has tried to fit in as many matches to a program as possible.

2.) Six months after his departure and the CM Punk chants haven’t died down yet. The chants are to be expected during AJ Lee’s matches, as she recently married Phil Brooks (Punk). But Lee wasn’t even on the card and yet three different times during the show, very loud and very enthusiastic CM Punk chants started. Once during a commercial break. Yes, the show has gone on, but I just have a feeling that the not nearly sold out arena that I was in could have sold out if Punk had been present.

1.) John Cena’s target demographic might be tiring of his shtick. Cena was not in attendance, but when his name was mentioned, even little kids were booing him. Little. Kids. Were. Booing. John. Cena. I truly thought that I was in Bizarro World…or in Canada (wonder who’ll get that joke). This is the second time in two years that I’ve been to a show and a large portion of kids and women, Cena’s main fan base, have turned against him. Perhaps we are long overdue for a heel turn. McMahon and company are still under this foolish impression that a Cena heel turn will make little kids stop watching the program or buying merchandise. To counter that, I have two words. Hollywood Hogan.

Do you think any of my observations are inaccurate or off-base? If you’ve attended a WWE program in recent years, what are some observations that you think are worth noting? Let us know down below!
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Actor Training: Reflections

Over this past year, I’ve posted a number of articles on my time at Drama School. This, I promise, is the last. (for now).  It’s been an incredible year. I’ve met some great people and had some amazing opportunities which continue to this day. It’s also been a year of change, with finding myself recently single after a long term relationship. It’s been hard, fun, hilarious, tough and everything in between and I wanted to find a way to express even a fraction of it.

During our training, we were required to create weekly journals and a final reflective essay which explored development, improvement and the course overall. As part of that, I decided to shoot a short Documentary featuring myself and my colleagues. It originally wasn’t created to be consumed by anyone other than myself and colleagues, but after being offered to the opportunity to screen it at a Commonwealth event I decided to trim down the original 20 minute cut to a neat 10 minutes which you can watch below.

It’s not an amazing short film, in fact it’s very personal, but it does capture real people in the beginning of their professional training.

If you like what you’ve seen here, please be sure to share our stuff with others who might enjoy it. In addition, please consider becoming one of our proud subscribers! There are plenty of benefits for those who are generous enough to contribute to the site each month, so don’t miss out on your chance to earn some exclusive rewards! Have a great weekend!

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The Pre-Weekend Recap: August 8, 2014

Yes, it is indeed the Pre-Weekend Recap for the week of August 8, 2014! This week saw a tremendous amount of content published by all of the fantastic contributors to the site. There were written movie reviews, new shows and features, podcasts, articles, and the announcement of One Of Us’ first anniversary celebration, Fest Of Us!

 

 

 

That’s right, next weekend, August 15th through the 17th, we’ll be holding a ridiculous series of meetups, events, and live podcasts to mark the site’s first birthday. For more detail about Fest Of Us, check out the Facebook event page here!

And of course, it wouldn’t be a recap without information about some of the features we posted this week. Everything you need is down below, all you have to do is read, click, listen/read again, and enjoy!

Salt Episode 3: La Morgue

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The latest episode of Salt, the audio drama spinoff of Jason Neulander’s The Intergalactic Nemesis, dropped this week and it is stellar! This podcast chronicles the adventures of Jean-Pierre Desperois, a salt smuggler with the power to travel through space and time, thanks to a bizarre voodoo ritual that took place when he was born. In the third entry of this season, Jean-Pierre dines with Gatete, utilizes an onion in an unconventional manner, and drops by the morgue. What information does he discover and which answers bring about more questions? Well, listen in and find out! If you’ve missed the first and/or the second episodes, you can find them both right here.

 

Rise of the Lounge Geeks Shows!

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That image is somewhat incorrect, because as of this week, the move is complete! Each of the five formerly-Lounge Geeks features dropped an edition in the last few days. Here’s a description of each one and what the subject matter was:

– Five & Out, the show all about making lists and ranking subjects relevant to a geeky audience, actually posted its SECOND episode on One Of Us, Robot Characters! Wes and Steve talk about their favorite bots, the LEGO games, and a less-than-impressive Hamlet. Don’t forget to give their inaugural episode, Childhood Toys, right here!

Public Axis’s 86th episode is its first one on our site. The show is hosted by Comedia A Go-Go, a San Antonio-based collective of incredibly funny people. Each week, the hosts are joined in a roundtable discussion by guest comedians, filmmakers, artists, and other creative types to talk about all manner of geekery and nerd-dom. On the latest episode, Comedia A Go-Go is joined by Stephanie Guerra (@PuroPincheSA) and Brenda Munoz (@PuroSanAntonio) to talk about What-A-Burger, Flaming Hot Cheetos, and some of the great events happening around San Antonio.

– Heavy Meta is a blog written by the great and powerful Vince Smith, a writer and podcaster at The Rogues’ Gallery. Vince breaks down trends in geek culture to evaluate what is occurring in the media we love and speculate what is to come. In his first post for One Of Us, he’s talking about pandering. Should we accept the big changes coming to Marvel Comics as good-faith efforts to increase diversity in flagship titles or is it a shallow plan to sell more books in the short term? Regardless of the nature of the changes, should we embrace them? Let Vince lay some knowledge on you!

– The Spinoff Showdown is out and Welcome to Springfield is in! In this brand new feature, former LG columnist Andrew Semkow is going to rewatch  and review every single episode of The Simpsons, chronicling what made the show such a lauded cultural icon and speculating about what has changed, for better or worse, in the show’s 25 years. There’s not better place to start than from the beginning, so check out what Andrew has to say about Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, the very first episode of Matt Groening’s animated juggernaut.

– Finally, we have Geeks@College, a show hosted by a group of talented students at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Not only do they give their perspective(s) on what’s happening in geek media, they also give you a behind the scenes look at some of their courses of study, which include film, comics, animation, and more. On their first show here, they’re going crazy about Guardians of the Galaxy, because of course they are.

Please do give each of these features a hearty welcome to One Of Us by listening, reading, and commenting on their pages!

 

 Ash & Fern: One ticket, please!

Ash & Fern 371

Despite what some people might say, going to the movies by yourself is pretty great. Just ask Fern, she’s been doing it for some time now and says it’s her preferred viewing method. In this post to the Ash & Fern blog, you’ll find out what first drove our intrepid heroine to make the solo sojourn to the cinema, what advantages going to a film alone can bring, and just how common the practice is. If you’ve ever wanted to trek out to the theater on your own but were too scared of the social stigma, let Fern dispel the doubt for you. You’ll be off to the movies on your own in no time!

 

Infestation: Wrapping Up San Diego Comic-Con

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While the flood of nerds has since receded and Hall H has long been abandoned, we haven’t heard about Brian and Chris’ adventures at San Diego Comic Con yet! Thankfully, that all changed yesterday with this post. The duo becomes a trio as Martin joins them on mic to talk about the One Of Us meetup and bar crawl, discuss some of the biggest announcements and reveals made at the con, and drop names like they are hot. If you weren’t jealous that you couldn’t go to SDCC before, you will be after listening to this!

 

The Original Gentlemen: Danni Danger Zone

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What’s that? You want more Martin, more Chris, and more Brian, except louder and more Beau-like? Well, thankfully for you, the Original Gentlemen also dropped an episode this week! Not only do you have the old trio, they are joined by guest Danni Danger, a  Weird Girls contributor and Geekie Awards nominee. Danni guides the guys through a discussion about gender issues is geek culture, cosplay, and some of the comics she’s particularly fond of at the moment. And since it was his birthday, they let Beau pick the song of the week. It’s all that OG goodness you love, so listen to it already!

If you like what you’ve seen here, please be sure to share our stuff with others who might enjoy it. In addition, please consider becoming one of our proud subscribers! There are plenty of benefits for those who are generous enough to contribute to the site each month, so don’t miss out on your chance to earn some exclusive rewards! Have a great weekend!

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Highly Suspect Reviews: ‘Into The Storm’

Review: Into The Storm.


Review: Into The Storm.


Into theaters we’re thrown, will this flick elicit scorn?


Like a bad disaster clone, still Twister stands alone.


Review: Into The Storm.

 


Brian, Chris, and J.C. strap themselves in for this whirlwind, and of course Highly Suspect, review of a found footage Twister knockoff. Would the gimmick be enough to make it entertaining? Or would Into the Storm thoroughly blow? Find out!

 

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Inside The Locker: Summer Season Power Rankings

Brace yourselves, sports nerds, this episode of Inside the Locker is NBA-Jam-packed with awesome! That’s right, we’re heating up!


We cover some of the biggest, as well as the weirdest, sports headlines (once again relating all of them to something in the more traditional geek spheres). We also bring in our new MMA correspondent Vincent Smith for a UFC status report. Finally, we rank the summer movie seasons of the last six years to determine which year truly stood out as the best.


All that, plus one of the funniest athlete Twitter stories you’ve ever heard.

 


Show Breakdown…

 


Scores & Stories (3:48)

Injury


The gruesome Paul George injury, David Wilson’s tearful farewell to football, Andy Dalton’s dubious new contract, Love is coming to Cleveland, ESPN suspends one of its anchors for tarnishing its LeBrand, Spurs hire female coach.

 


The Corner Man (51:40)

UFC


The working title of our new semi-regular MMA segment with our brand new fight correspondent Vincent Smith. Vince, who also writes the Heavy Meta column for us, breaks down the fighters and the fights to watch. But wait, how do Iko Uwais and Tony Jaa fit into this?

 


Main Segment: Summer Movie Season Power Rankings (71:32)

Summer 2014


Going back to 2008, we examine best and worst that each summer’s cinema had to offer to determine which year gave us the best summer movie season. The winner…might surprise you.

 


Make sure to follow us on Twitter, otherwise we’ll make you attend a candle-lit dinner with Shannon Briggs and Wladimir Klitschko

Briggs

The Show Account–@ITLCast
Brian–@BriguySalisbury
J.C.–@jcdeleon1
Elliott–@ITLElliott
Adam–@the_beef

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Geeks@College Episode 102: Awesome Mix Vol. 3

In their One of Us debut, the Geeks@College (Taylor, Chris and Kaycee) cruise through the cosmos with Marvel’s latest blockbuster, Guardians of the Galaxy!

Are the Guardians the next great movie heroes (just like Kevin Bacon) or does it leave us cold like the depths of space?

Tune in to find out!
 

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