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(Our good friend, and diehard wrestling fan, Gene speaks out on the racial conundrum facing WWE superstars.)

Getting a push as a superstar in World Wrestling Entertainment takes not just talent, but also an exorbitant amount of blood, sweat and perseverance. Getting a respectable push if you’re a superstar of color might well require an act of God.

This has been one of the Fed’s not-so-dirty little secrets throughout the years. To really get any TV time as a Black superstar, one must rely on one of three gimmicks; the aggressive strongman (Ahmed Johnson, Mark Henry, Bobby Lashley, Big E Langston), the money hungry pro-athlete gimmick (MVP, heel Prime Time Players) or have embarrassingly bad and/or insulting angles (babyface Prime Time Players, Cryme Tyme, R-Truth). And if someone wants to bring up Booker T, think back to his only championship reign in WWE. Yes, it was the ridiculous King Booker gimmick.

But anyone that has seen more than one episode of WWE programming knows, this doesn’t only plague Black superstars. Latino superstars not named Rey Mysterio have had to endure everything from being Cholos (Hunico y Camacho), to being cast as a different nationality in a stupid and dated gimmick (Los Matadores). East Asian superstars rarely escape the angle of fiery high flyer that speaks little English (Taka Michinoku, Funaki, Yoshi Tatsu). If you’re Samoan, there’s a 90% chance you’ll be a Wild Samoan (Head Shrinkers, Umaga, the Usos). I cringe when I think of what they do with Middle Eastern superstars (Early Jinder Mahal anyone?). Most wrestlers that try to break that mold either winds up being mid-card for life (Kofi Kingston) or frustrated to the point of leaving (Shelton Benjamin).

Being fair, the Fed has taken baby steps in the right direction in the past few years, and by that I mean the outdated Vince McMahon/John Laurinaitis method of attracting an audience of color. Alberto Del Rio doesn’t come out to the arena in a low rider. Roman Reigns thrives as enforcer of the Shield and not wearing Samoan war paint. Even the Great Khali has broken the federation’s mold, with his longstanding position as a babyface of Indian descent.

But where is the Black equivalent of a Macho Man Randy Savage? Where is an Asian Triple H? Where is the Arab Shawn Michaels, or the Latino Goldberg? I’ll tell you where they’re at, they’re in companies whose initials aren’t WWE. The last vestiges of Vinnie Mac and Johnny Ace influence have to be swept out the door, post haste. If not, the only thing Michael Cole will comment on as far as trending is concerned is the continued downward slope of ratings as people of color will stop watching.

In the not-so-distant future, next Thursday A.D., fans of the greatly-revered film riffing television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 will be treated to a much loved but long absent tradition. For the first time in 16 years, MST3K‘s Turkey Day marathon will air on Thanksgiving Day, hosted by the program’s original test subject, Joel Hodgson.

Shout! Factory, the company that has been responsible for putting classic MST3K episodes on DVD, is resurrecting the marathon to mark the show’s 25th anniversary. Once an annual tradition, 1997 was the last year with a Turkey Day marathon until now. At high noon Eastern Time on November 28, 2013, MST3K enthusiasts will be able to log on to MST3KTurkeyDay.com and watch six episodes of the show back-to-back, with Hodgson appearing occasionally to communicate with viewers. Adding to the event’s interactivity, Hodgson will be taking fan suggestions on Twitter in the days leading up to the event to help him decide which episodes will air during the marathon.

Entertainment Weekly recalls that the first Turkey Day took place in 1991 at the behest of Comedy Central, the channel that originally aired MST3K. Hodgson told the magazine that the tradition carried on, even after the show’s lifespan.

“When I started doing Cinematic Titanic six years ago and we started doing live shows, that’s when I really met these people who love Mystery Science Theater,” Hodgson told EW. “I’d hear all these stories about Turkey Day. People would say, ‘Yeah, we still watchMystery Science Theater on Thanksgiving. It’s a tradition, like the Lions playing.’ I was kind of amazed that it was in people’s lives like that.”

The program’s creator expressed his joy at being able to pore over the 198 episodes seeking the right picks for Turkey Day. Furthermore, he discussed his disappointment in the lack of Thanksgiving-themed monster movies available for the MST3K treatment.

“A giant turkey would really fit in the lexicon of things like Gamera. You have Gyaos and Godzilla, Rodan, and Turkathon. Actual turkeys are horrifying. Their temperament is terrible, and they’re just tall enough to go for your crotch. And they seem to have a genetic predisposition to go for your crotch. They’re also really stupid, right? They’re famous for being stupid and delicious. That’s exactly what you want.”

As an MST3K devotee, this is some of the best news I’ve heard all week. The original show was such a unique concept at its inception and it had a tremendous influence on many comedians and film buffs. For example, our very own film companion commentary series, Watch A Movie With Us, bears some relation to the MST3K formula. Of course, many members of the program’s cast have moved forward with film-riffing productions, such as the acclaimed RiffTrax and Cinematic Titanic, so the show’s spirit continues to survive. Still, sometimes you just need some of the original flavor and that’s what Turkey Day is offering to us this year.

Fear not, I’m well aware that the Thanksgiving holiday is supposed to be focused on spending time with the family and appreciating the precious moments with your loved ones. I’m all about that, and my family is certainly welcome to join me as I watch every minute of the Turkey Day marathon. If you ask me, the best way to spend time with the family is spending hours in front of the TV watching a dude and his robot pals watch movies.

Which MST3K episodes would you like to see during Turkey Day’s return? Which host was your favorite? I’m solidly Team Mike, I think it’s a generational thing. In any case, let us know down below!

Via Entertainment Weekly

This week, we continued our exploration of sensory memory and imagination. Our first task was to receive a number of small gifts that our partner gives us. The partner chooses the size of the gift whilst the recipient chooses what is in the package relative to the size and react excitedly. The gifts ranged from items such as a Grand Piano, a laptop to a Baby Elephant. What does this have to do with acting you may ask? Well, it is simple. We’re utilising imagination, reacting to certain circumstances and doing so opposite another individual, isn’t that what we do in a scene when acting? I found it more difficult than I anticipated to create an item which corresponded to the size of the package which in turn affected my reaction and how authentic it became.

Using the space, we then took a walk in a park. Using our imagination we felt the harshness of the ground, the softness of the grass. The feeling of the rain upon our heads and the sun beating down. Using sensory memory, it was a relatively easy environment to picture and inhabit, though I identified more with the second scenario which was a stressful day trying to get to an interview (waking late, missing the bus etc) which perhaps says more about how I live my life day to day – perhaps I should take more time to enjoy the simple moments? The final scenario of this process was on a beach which became more and more abstract subsequently requiring more focus and attention to each detail given. We floated in the air and sank into the ocean before emerging to write a letter to someone important.

There was no time to think of who that person would be, so it was an entirely truthful decision which for many was quite personal. Mine was no different, writing to a former flat mate which the relationship ended extremely badly. I found the second half of this exercise (and indeed, all of it) almost cathartic in a way, as we were required to receive a response and share it aloud. We spent a lot of time sharing things that were perhaps extremely intimate to each individual, nothing more so than sharing personal fears. Mine, was something I hadn’t shared for a long time but alas, I was happy and comfortable to do so – many years ago, on the way to the cinema I was randomly attacked. I managed to get away but, whilst the police knew who the guy was, they couldn’t catch him before he attacked another, older man who died as a result. I don’t share that lightly and the fear I shared was the fear I had not for myself, but for the man’s family, having to endure that pain.

throughout the exercise, we recognised the changes in body language that each of us demonstrated subsequently enforcing how the internal can shape the external.

Finally, we got our hands on some text. Working with a partner, we looked at ‘Someone to Look Over Me’ – a play written by Irish dramatist Frank McGuinness. The play focuses on the trials and tribulations of an Irishman, an Englishman and an American who are kidnapped and held hostage by unseen Arabs in Lebanon.

We read the scene, with no knowledge of the situation or the characters but we did receive certain instructions which changed the performance. Both external changes and internal created new ways to explore each line and those things, which would be discussed in the creative process, can shape a scene in many different ways (even by simply changing the temperature of the room).

1453395_10202141401672669_301250137_n — Some of the variables. Others included the temperature of the room and knowing someone is listening outside.

I was extremely impressed with my scene partner, whilst only 17 she brought an age and gravitas to a character who is much older and for that she is to be commended.

Thus concluded another week. I was very happy with this session, I felt I demonstrated some skill within the scene but could perhaps work on maintaining focus on the internal exercises and keeping in the moment, trying not to anticipate what is coming next before it does.

Interested in Someone to Look Over Me? Purchase it here. It’s a really interesting read.

It’s time to break out the spam, put on your best lumberjack outfit and let your killer rabbits fly again, because a Monty Python reunion is coming!

Yes it’s true. The surviving members of Monty Python, the groundbreaking surreal British comedy team that brought us to unimaginable heights of silliness in television, film, audio, and several other forms, are set to reunite for the first time in fifteen years. All five of the living members, including John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Michael Palin are set to come together for a new project. The specifics of this project are unknown, but it will be the first time that all five living members have collaborated on a non-documentary project since their HBO special Monty Python Live At Aspen in 1998. The only thing that’s been confirmed is that the sixth Graham Chapman will not be involved due to his hefty “being dead” schedule, as it has been since 1989.

So, let’s get this out of the way; I love Monty Python. Most geeks on the internet love Monty Python. Their television series Monty Python’s Flying Circus inspired numerous comedic talents worldwide, their work in films like Holy Grail, Life of Brian & The Meaning of Life has been quoted countless times and their work on comedy albums like The Monty Python Matching Tie and Handkerchief and Monty Python’s Contractual Obligation is still pretty innovative in of how damn bizarre it still is. In fact, most of Python’s works have managed to stand the test of time, feeling just as brilliantly odd as it did when it originally aired.

Now, that all being said… this project scares me. If there’s anything that Hollywood’s recent plunge into full on nostalgia has taught me, it’s that most of the time you don’t want to see your heroes try to get back on the horse when they’re past their prime. The sad thing is, I’ve seen most of the Pythons try this before. Back in 1999, most of the living Pythons (sans Eric Idle) did several sketches for Python Night, a special on BBC2 which commemorated the 30th anniversary of Flying Circus and boy, did they leave a lot to be desired. It just felt like these former titans of comedy had lost all their spark, all their motivation, all of their life… and that was 14 years ago. I really don’t want to imagine how much less spark the Pythons have now that they’re in their 70s.

Then again, there aren’t many details on the upcoming reunion project. I’ve heard some (including /Film) speculate that it will most likely be a stage sketch tour rather than another TV show or film. That seems more feasible, given that some of the members are still hard at work on solo projects, such as Terry Gilliam trying to do his Don Quixote again or John Cleese & Eric Idle appearing in ten different films/animated projects/commercials/other efforts. So, we’ll have to wait and see what exactly these living legends have in mind.

Still, the question remains; are the Pythons merely a washed up group of has-beens trying to grasp once more at glory or is their creative energy not dead yet? Post your thoughts in the comments below.

Via The Sun

A brand new international trailer for the February 12 release Robocop has hit online and you can watch it below. After being badly injured by a explosive car bomb, Officer Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) has the majority of his body replaced by robotics, becoming RoboCop.

It’s certainly a different take on Alex’s story from the original which manages to introduce something somewhat interesting, but also avoids the R Rating of the original too. Director Jose Padilha said the following about the film:

In the future with autonomous robots you can have a robot in the middle of the desert going after terrorists and you don’t even know the robot is there, and the robot is making its own decisions. And let’s say this robot kills a kid; who is to blame? Is it the company that made the robot, is it the army that deployed the robot, the software handler or the manufacturer? Who is to blame? When you start making machines who make decisions over life and death, something fundamental changes…

I’m still not sure where I sit with this one. This trailer hit the emotional aspects of the piece, and it was certainly touching. But as soon as what seems to be full CG action begins I lose interest. There also doesn’t seem to be any kind of change in Alex when he wakes up. I think I’d have less of a problem with this movie if it wasn’t Robocop.

Source: Coming Soon

What do you think of the Robocop Trailer? Has it changed your perspective on the movie? Comment below.

Hey everybody, Ash here.

So this whole buddy cop intro we’re getting makes me want to carry my own weapon. With so many hypothetical options to choose from, I’ve really thought this over. See, while swords and bows-and-arrows are neat and all, let’s be honest, there’s a reason I’m a runner. I don’t have to handle anything with any athletic ability, I don’t have to use perfect muscle memory to execute maneuvers, I don’t really have to have any hand-eye coordination. So, why pick a weapon that I’m sure to end up using to hurt myself more than my opponent. Also, lightsabers are out. They’re just basically electric swords.

I’m ruling against guns, bombs, grenades, etc. for moral reasons. While they make cool effects that I love to see on a movie screen, I tend to frown on use of them in real life.

So, my weapon of choice: a wand. I though about a staff like Gandalf, which is just basically a really big wand, but I like the portability of a small wand. I can just stick it in my pocket and go. I don’t need any special abilities to use it besides wit and a knowledge of spells, and I have both of those in spades already. Plus, a wand is useful outside of battle. Really, what are you going to do with a sword if you’re not fighting? Light it on fire and learn to twirl it? Whereas a wand lets me not ever get out of my seat to get anything ever again! It’s genius, really.

Don’t you think, Fern?

Ash, I respect your choice, I really do. I love wands. As you know I’m the proud owner of a Sirius Black wand, purchased at Ollivander’s when we made our pilgrimage to Harry Potter World. Unfortunately you’ve overlooked one thing; a wand is essentially a fancy twig. Twigs get snapped in half. You shouldn’t need scotch tape to fix your ultimate weapon.

Narrowing down my own choices was actually fairly easy. I’ve watched enough Walking Dead to know that I should stay away from guns and/or anything else that makes loud noises. Nunchucks are really cool, but I’d probably just end up hitting myself with them. I actually think you were on the right track with your lightsaber idea, but my skills with technology are embarrassingly limited and I probably wouldn’t be able to turn it on when I needed it.

The fact is there is only one correct choice here: Sting. (For anyone not caught up on their Tolkien, Sting is a sword crafted by Elves, found by Bilbo Baggins, and eventually passed on to Frodo. Obviously.) Yes Sting is small, really just a knife by human standards, but I think a Hobbit sized sword is the way to go for me. A real sword like Excalibur would probably just tip me over. I realize you might doubt my sword fighting abilities, but you’d be wrong. I watch A LOT of Spartacus. I’m sure I’ve picked something up.

Bonus, Sting also glows blue when Orcs are in the area. I haven’t run into a lot of Orcs in my travels so far, but you can’t be too careful with these things. And really, not useful outside of battle? Pretty sure opening a beer with a sword is a pretty badass party trick.

Ok readers, Ash & I are clearly not going to settle this ourselves. Tell us what you think. What is the ultimate weapon from a geek property and why?

Sometimes films become so iconic that a remake becomes unconscionable, a point where the movie isn’t just a movie anymore, but an indelible part of our culture. Such is the case with Frank Capra’s 1946 classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, starring movie icon Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. Hollywood has found an end around situations such as this, they won’t remake the film… but they will make a sequel that essentially tells the same story or gets the same point across. This, my friends, is how we are getting It’s a Wonderful Life: The Rest of the Story, coming our way holiday time 2015.

Most films of this matter offer some thin connections to “justify” the sequel being in the same universe as the original, and this upcoming flick is no exception. Karolyn Grimes, who played George Bailey’s child Zuzu (the one that has the iconic line about bells and angels getting their wings), will play an angel that shows George Bailey’s grandson, who for sake of convenience, is also named George Bailey what life would be like if he had never been born. Other cast members from the original have been approached about appearing, but no confirmation of any of them appearing can be confirmed at this time.

Another trick often employed in flicks like this is to throw in some “twist” so they can claim that indeed they aren’t just doing the same thing again, and It’s a Wonderful Life: The Rest of the Story (every time I hear that title I think about Paul Harvey) ticks off that check box as well. The “twist” this time being that this new George Bailey will be a jerk instead of the well meaning family man of Capra’s original, which means they are now poaching from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol as well.

An attempt to modernize the classic tale was inevitable, but this sequel seems entirely unnecessary. A spiritual sequel, one that wants to get the same point across, but in its own way and without the baggage of the original seems the correct way to go. I know original IPs scare Hollywood to death, but sometimes that is the only way to lend your project any bit of credibility. As always and with all snark aside, I do wish the film well, but I can’t shake the feeling that it simply doesn’t need to exist.

So what do you think about It’s a Wonderful Life: The Rest of the Story? Let us know in the comments below!

Via Variety

Some time ago, it was mentioned that Hayao Miyazaki was going to retire from making films. For those of you who don’t know, he is one of the founders/head of Studio Ghibli, that is responsible for such imaginative (and ANNOYINGLY cute) films such as My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. They have been dubbed as the Disney/Pixar of Japan, and although this studio does not have nearly as much titles under their belt, their quality of work rivals that of any of Disney’s classics. I would go as far as to say that they deal with more daring and mature subject matter, and that they pack more of an emotional umph.

So when Miyazaki said he was hanging his cap, fans from around the globe were both disappointed and happy. Sure, this meant that all future projects Ghibli will be making would not be directed by Miyazaki himself, but it also means that he has said everything that he wanted to say. It is evident that The Wind Rises is his last film in this trailer. It serves as a celebration for his successful and awe-inspiring career, as well as a heartfelt goodbye to this wonderful world he has created:

There isn’t much out on what the film is about, other than what The Hollywood Reporter said as “An imaginative, biographic collision of poet Tatsuo Hori and World War II aviator Jiro Horikoshi,” two important historical figures in Japan. The film has been on a festival run, and has been generating a lot of early Oscar Buzz and might be the forerunner in Best Animated Film.

Wow. When I saw this trailer, I could never have been more conflicted as to how I feel about this film. On one hand, I am super excited to lose myself in this world, but on the other hand, I’m heart broken that this will be the last time I will be exploring the mind of Miyazaki. It seems that this film is going to be a more serious and mature one, but not a depressing one like Grave of the Fireflies. The more fantastical elements of the trailer seem to be more of a poetic representation of the passion and emotion our protagonists are feeling, and serves as a metaphor rather than a literal translation of what is happening in the plot. It’s as if this is Miyazaki’s love letter to his many fans, as well as to his his passion for story telling and animation. In fact, it seems that the entirety of the body of his work can be seen as a kind of letter. This letter tells us about a fantastical life, detailing his fears, passions, hardships, and coming of age. After decades, The Wind Rises really feels like him signing off. This final film is essentially him saying, “Sincerely, Hayao Miyazaki.”

So fellow OOUies, what do you guys think? Are you excited to see this film? Whatever your thoughts, comment below and let One of Us know! Also, don’t save our audio drama for yo mamma! Check out Infinite Variations right now! (although you should make your mom listen to it as well)

via The Hollywood Reporter, Indiewire

After a legal feud that has lasted more than 50 years, the rights to one of James Bond’s greatest foes have been secured. On November 15, 2013, Danjaq, LLC, the producer of James Bond films, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), the distributor of the Bond films, announced they had reached a settlement with the estate of Kevin McClory. The result of this long-lived legal conflict means that the Bond series is free to include Ernst Stavro Blofeld and his terrorist organization S.P.E.C.T.R.E. in future films.

The fight over the long-coveted properties in the estate began in 1959, when McClory, a writer, first met author Ian Fleming, the creator of the James Bond franchise. McClory suggested a Bond movie set in the Bahamas to Fleming. This suggestion eventually became Fleming’s novel Thunderball. McClory claimed creation rights with the characters and elements of the book and sued when the book was released without the proper credit. This first dispute was settled in court, which allowed the film adaption of Thunderball to proceed in 1965. Later on, another lawsuit resulted a 1983 court ruling stating McClory owned significant elements of the Bond franchises, including Blofeld and S.P.E.C.T.R.E., and granted writer the right to produce his own James Bond films. McClory used the court’s authority to produce Never Say Never Again that same year. The movie brought back Sean Connery as Bond and faced off against the Roger Moore-led Octopussy in the box office

In later years, McClory lost the rights to make new Bond movies, but retained rights to the characters in Thunderball. The writer passed away in 2006, and his family worked to come up with a deal allowing the properties to be used in future Bond movies. They have agreed to sell the late McClory’s remaining ownership to the 007 franchise to Danjaq and MGM. The parties released this statement after the settlement was approved:

Danjaq, LLC, the producer of the James Bond films, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), the longtime distributor of the Bond films, along with the estate and family of the late Kevin McClory, announced today that Danjaq and MGM have acquired all of the estate’s and family’s rights and interests relating to James Bond, thus bringing to an amicable conclusion the legal and business disputes that have arisen periodically for over 50 years.

With this achievement, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, arguably the greatest Bond villain, and his agents of S.P.E.C.T.R.E. are now legally allowed to be used in future Bond films. As a Bond fan, I am ecstatic because of the possibilities this agreement has brought to life. After the runaway success of Skyfall, I am quite pleased with the current direction of the franchise. Still, I was disappointed with the antagonists of Casino Royale and (moreso) Quantum of Solace. It took three films for Daniel Craig’s Bond to face off against a memorable adversary, and even Raul Silva’s plan starts to unravel if you put a little thought into what could have gone wrong. Blofeld and S.P.E.C.T.R.E. have the resources, organization, international influence, and (most importantly) the intelligence to challenge 007 and MI6. Coupled with the change of management at MI6, the rise of S.P.E.C.T.R.E. certainly has the potential to present a compelling threat for the new leadership of the British spy service.

Do you want to see Blofeld return to the Bond film franchise? Who do you think would be the right pick to portray such a legendary foe against Daniel Craig’s Bond? Let us know in the comment section!

Via The Hollywood Reporter and The Guardian