FIVE33′s Friday Fix

July 27, 2012 at 10:47 am · Filed under FIVE33 News

The Friday Fix goes for gold as Makerbot remixes the mix tape, Crystal Castles spreads the Plague, new 3D GIFs are an eyeful, Old Spice shows what champions smell like and the London Olympics counts down to kickoff.

Makerbot ensures that one of our favorite handmade gifts from the 90s – the almighty mix tape – can still be a potent part of the modern-day dating repertoire. After crafting your playlist, a 3D printing file allows you to create your own ‘cassette’ (if you don’t have a 3D printer, you can purchase the finished product directly from the site). The case holds a 2GB module which works just like a mini MP3 player – just upload your playlist, deliver to your loved one and make sweet, sweet music together. Going old skool sounds pretty good!

One of the tracks to add to your summer playlist is the new release from Crystal Castles ’Plague,’ released by the Canadian duo via their Facebook page. If a mix tape simply won’t cut it, Crystal Castles have also just announced the dates for their US tour later this year – snag some tickets and we’ll see you there. In the meantime, just press Plague:

Now that your ears have been titillated, give your eyes a turn with these new 3D lenticular GIFs. Created by The Saline Project, a trio of creatives from Brooklyn, the images use eye-popping motion to create an immediately immersive visual experience. The series ‘Monsters, Villains, Heroes and Victims’ (MVHV) will be shown in New York and online later this year. Keep an eye out for it.

Unless you’ve been locked away in a subterranean prison (in which case… RISE!), you’ll be well aware that the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games launch this evening, with an opening ceremony titled ‘Isles of Wonder’, orchestrated by director Danny Boyle. Broadcasted live across the world with an estimated audience of 1 billion people, here’s a little taste of what’s in store:

As all eyes turn to London and patriotic sports fans eagerly watch to see who will be showered with gold, Old Spice has their own twist on just how champions are made to live forever. What this video lacks in accuracy, it more than makes up for in entertainment.

Stay tuned for more Olympics, music, movies, art, fashion, and all the other things that make this the best planet on Earth.

FIVE33′s Friday Fix

July 21, 2012 at 4:02 am · Filed under FIVE33 News

We came. We saw. We Con-quered. This week’s Fix is a full-on Comic-Con blitz, with all of our highlights from the Convention floor you might have missed – or just can’t get enough of. It’s an up close and personal look at the movies, shows and comics done by fans, for the fans: The Dark Knight Rises, Pacific Rim, Wreck-It Ralph, Man of Steel, The Hobbit, Oz the Great and Powerful, Iron Man 3, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Revolution, Coma, and a whole lot more.

BREAKING BAD

All hail the king: TV’s baddest anti-hero, Walter White, took the convention by storm. Bryan Cranston, alongside costar Aaron Paul, creator Vince Gilligan, and all the stars who survived the season 4 finale unveiled a special preview of the 5th (and final) season, which premiered on Sunday night. Despite the critical acclaim of the multi-Emmy winning series, Gilligan says he is refusing to push his show to the point where “it used to be good.”  Based on the response the panel got, they’re going out on top of the world. The cast had some fun – even showed a little skin – providing more laughs in their half hour session than the previous 4 seasons combined. Feed your addiction:

 

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

You’d have to be living in a Batcave to have missed the omnipresent The Dark Knight Rises campaign leading up to the hotly-anticipated conclusion to the epic Christopher Nolan comic book trilogy. Even though TDKR practically markets itself, that didn’t stop the Legendary / Warner Bros. Comic-Con crew from feeding fandom with cool campaign initiatives like showcasing the Bat-Pod, the Tumbler scale model and every Batmobile throughout the years. Holy smokes, Bat-fans!

While the convention floor was chock-full of caped crusaders and Bane impersonators (and yes, dozens of Jokers), only the hardest of hardcore vigilantes could earn their way into early screenings. All throughout downtown San Diego, the Bat signal was sent skyward at a random location; only by tracking down and tweeting photos of the projection could patrons score tickets to hometown screenings, ahead of the July 20th release.

 THE WALKING DEAD

AMC‘s post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested thriller has infected fans with a pandemic of passion. Inspiring more than a few Comic-Con cosplays and drawing hour-long lines wherever The Walking Dead name was shown, the cult phenomenon was an instant fan favorite from Hall H to the Michonne-themed photo stand. Yet The Walking Dead’s greatest buzz-builder was not housed in the Convention Center at all – just down the street at San Diego’s Petco Park, The Walking Dead Escape brought the zombified storyworld to life, creating a veritable ‘Running of the Zombies’ style survival course. Daring victims sprinted their way through the stadium to avoid dead-eyed flesh eaters for nearly an hour while spectators cried out for blood.

WRECK-IT RALPH

One of the most instantly and unanimously beloved stars making their Comic-Con debut was Wreck-It Ralph, the oversized 8-bit ‘wreck star’ with a heart as big as his massive fists. The laugh-a-minute presentation featured director Rich Moore (The Simpsons, Futurama) and two very special guests: John C. Reilly (Wreck-It Ralph) and Sarah Silverman (Vanellope von Schweetz), who injected the panel with some Extra Life. Moore screened a 10-minute clip of the film (joking that the whole movie was only 11 minutes long), which scored big laughs as the lovable Ralph smashed his way through arcade gameworlds and teased some iconic video game cameos. Moore also dropped a few “bombshells”: Alan Tudyk (of Firefly fame) would be lending his vocal talents to the eccentric sugarball King Candy, the corrupt monarch of Sugar Rush, and LA-born dubstep wunderkind Skrillex would be scoring the sonic warzone of Hero’s Duty. Said Moore: “Tweet that!” (Don’t worry, we did).

Even as the panel wrapped up, it ain’t over ’til it’s Game Over: Wreck-It Ralph made a surprise appearance where you’d perhaps most expect him: an arcade, of course. Disney cleverly built an authentically retrofied Fix-It Felix, Jr. 8-bit cabinet game, hidden in the Gaslamp District for unsuspecting gamers to discover. And discover they did – once word got out, quarter-jockeys flocked to the arcade, trying to beat the high score and snag some swag. Congrats to Disney, who really 1-Up’d their game!

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL

Fans were blown away by the exclusive 3D Oz trailer unveiled at Comic-Con. Receiving the most positive mentions across the social media space (according to LA TImes and Fizziology), Disney’s Oz The Great and Powerful whisked audiences over the rainbow and into a dazzling new world, brought to life by director Sam Raimi (Spiderman trilogy), production designer Robert Stromberg (Avatar, Alice in Wonderland) and the endless inspiration of L. Frank Baum. The panel hosted two of the wickedest witches in the West, Michelle Williams and Mila Kunis, to talk about their experience re-imagining the merry old land of Oz. Strap on your 3D glasses and prepare to go flying over the rainbow.

 

PACIFIC RIM

There were some Legendary surprises in store for those lucky enough to snag a spot in the Pacific Rim Hall H presentation. Visionary director Guillermo del Toro received a hearty welcome from the crowd, who eagerly awaited the reveal of his epic ‘giant monsters versus giant robots’ blockbuster, due in theaters Summer 2013. The simple but powerful premise, which appeals to the child in all of us, was treated with a level of edgy sophistication, intricate world-building and jaw-dropping visual effects as only GdT can deliver. The hype was sky high, and the reveal still managed to blow expectations out of the water. Three massive screens were set up to superserve the larger-than-life first look trailer, which stirred the audience into a frenzy. Having been intimately involved with the process of realizing del Toro’s vision, the thunderous applause and deafening cheers were music to our ears. We think Devin Faraci from BadAssDigest put it best when they said: “Pacific Rim has the possibility of being a generational moment. It will be burned into the souls of 9 year olds like Star Wars”.The “juggernaut” Legendary panel ending with a special sneak peek of Godzilla was enough to send fanboys over the edge, igniting a tidal wave of critical buzz from around the web. We think Devin Faraci from BadAssDigest put it best when they said: “Pacific Rim has the possibility of being a generational moment. It will be burned into the souls of 9 year olds like Star Wars”.

MAN OF STEEL

Look, up in the sky! It’s… well, you know the rest. To bring Krypton’s favorite son back to to big screen, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have paired two of the industry’s most prolific entertainment powerhouses: director Zack Snyder (300, The Watchmen) and producer Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight trilogy). In his Hall H presentation, Snyder revealed a more realistic, relatable approach to the character, and the Comic-Con poster showcases a darker, gritty edge. With the Avengers assembled, Spiderman wrapping up his run and the Dark Knight Risen, we can’t wait for Man of Steel the restore the ultimate superhero in all his deserved glory. Though the 2013 Summer release is horizons away, the Comic-Con floor (and the social mediasphere) was buzzing about the Henry Cavill / Russel Crowe starring reboot. Enjoy the trailer on the big screen alongside ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ this weekend.

IRON MAN 3

Although already a box office blockbuster franchise, Iron Man is coming in hot off the record-shattering success of The Avengers for what promises to be another high-flying joyride. A full collection of Iron Man suits – presented on a display that was right out of Stark Tower – was just the tip of the entertainment iceberg. The panel also included special teases for upcoming projects “Antman” (Edgar Wright and Marvel? Nerdgasm!) and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” but even that wasn’t the fan finale.

In true Tony Stark style, the man behind the mask Robert Downey, Jr. made a charismatic surprise entrance that thrilled and delighted Comic-Con attendees. At a children’s costume contest, dozens of enthusiastic youngsters dressed up in their best Iron Man attire stepped up to the mic and proclaimed, “I am Iron Man!” But of course, the only thing larger than a child’s dreams is Tony Stark’s ego. Downey Jr. himself, hidden in the crowd all along, took off his mask and set the record straight: “I am Iron Man.” Fans went wild, and after an enthusiastic round of iron-clad high fives, Iron Man 3 quickly became the talk of the Con.

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

It’s been an Unexpected Journey back to the beginning for Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson, who after completing a mammoth run with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, returns to the humble Shire to catch up with Bilbo, Gandalf and a whole new cast of Middle Earthlings. While the Comic-Con buzz around The Hobbit was incessant and the lines were unending, patrons soon found out why: the pillars of the mighty Warner Bros. booth held stunning 3D lenticular character posters from the new film, coming to life before your very eyes. We’ve seen lenticular done many times before, but this kind of 3D imaging takes it to a whole new level. While still photos hardly do them justice, we’re sure to see these amazing pieces in cinemas soon enough, so keep your eyes peeled.

REVOLUTION

The hotly-anticipated sci-fi project from J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek) turned up the heat with an unmissable outdoor display: a vine-covered ferris wheel, giving exhausted Comic-Con attendees an aerial joyride. Why vine-covered, you ask? Revolution is set in a world where all forms of electricity are abruptly, mysteriously and permanently blacked out across the planet. 15 years later, the post-apocalyptic society becomes more tribal than futuristic, forming roaming gangs that battle for control as an unlikely group of heroes struggles to restore the power. With a pilot directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man franchise), this is definitely one to keep a close eye on. Assuming we still have power to turn our television sets on by the time it airs.

 

COMA

Turning Comic-Con into Coma-Con, it was impossible to miss the Coma campaign unfolding on the San Diego streets. Silently staggering “patients” adorned in green gowns (not to be confused with zombies…) wandered around the vicinity, leaning on their IVs like a crutch. A closer look revealed the word “Coma” gorily stitched into their flesh. A street team of doctors tagged along to affix medical alert bracelets to Convention patrons, seeding a viral site to unlock first-look content (ComaConspiracy.com).The new A&E miniseries (based on the Robin Cook novel) will be directed by Mikail Salomon (Band of Brothers) and produced by Ridley and Tony Scott, due out Memorial Day. Do yourself a favor and set your recording now.

MONDO

With fan art and movie posters lining the walls of the San Diego Convention Center like wallpaper, some pieces were truly a cut above. You might have missed the Mondo booth, not because of its modest size, but because the mobs that surrounded it throughout the weekend made front-of-the-line real estate a valuable commodity. Releasing limited-edition shots for Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Adventure Time and Princess Mononoke via randomly-dropped Twitter bombshells, the sporadic approach to herlading these collectible prints all the more exciting. Demand was so high for Mondo’s work that the prestige poster company that they had to break their own rules to accomodate the fervor: Olly Moss’ stylized take on The Dark Knight Rises sold out their 180 signed prints in no time flat, but offered their die-hard fans one chance at redemption later in the week. The notoriously exclusive, hype-fueled company announced 24 hours where everyone who ordered the poster would get one, in their first ever print-to-order initiative. Thank goodness they did: ours is in the mail! Take a look at what the hype is all about:

With all the fuss over major TV and movie announcements, its easy to lose track of what Comic-Con was built upon; comic books. Two titles from Image Comics stood out from the crowd. In an arena dominated by Marvel and DC Comics, Jonathan Ross and Bryan Hitch have taken a page out of the headline news to create a modern masterpiece with America’s Got Powers. The British creators have tapped into three of the most powerful themes of the contemporary American zeitgeist: super powers, reality TV competitions and kid-on-kid violence. The 6-issue miniseries enjoyed a healthy share of attention from convention patrons – check it out below, without the long lines:

The comic bookers at Image continued their ‘cult classic’ convention takeover with Morning Glories, described by creator Nick Spencer as “Runaways Meets Lost.” With artwork by Joe Eisma and Robin Esquejo, the visuals are just as smart and satisfying as the storyline. Head to your local comic vendor (or the always-open internet) and pick up a copy today.

Another comic title debuted with a splash: Legendary Comics launched their own thrilling trilogy, The Tower Chronicles. Written by Grendel’s Matt Wagner and illustrated by Slaine’s Simon Bisley, the graphic novel series has all the intelligence, edge and action we’ve come to expect from the Legendary name. We grabbed a copy and can safely say that the cinematic spirit of the studio is alive and well within these beautifully brooding pages. Doubtless a story this big is destined for theatrical glory one day!

So that’s Geek Camp for another year. We think Sam Raimi summed up it up best: “The cool thing about Comic-Con is that the fans are the stars.” Hope you feel like a celeb, even if you couldn’t make the Convention. We’ll have to catch you next year. Until then, geek on!

FIVE33′s Franken-Fix!

July 13, 2012 at 10:13 pm · Filed under FIVE33 News

Comic-Con is here, Frankenweenie lives, and the Fix has been reanimated! For one week only, behold the Franken-Fix… it’s ALIVE!

Anyone who follows us on Facebook or Twitter will not be surprised to hear that we are excited to bring The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition to fans at Comic-Con this week.
San Diego is the epicenter of geekdom this weekend, and the exhibition has been overrun with fanboys and fangirls eager to get a closer look at the pure artistry of Tim Burton… truly a monster hit!

Wednesday night was preview night at Comic-Con and we were honored to have Executive Producer Don Hahn and Producer Allison Abbate at the Exhibition to speak to press.

Twitter too has been abuzz, and fast-fingered visitors to the Exhibition have been blown away by the meticulous detail of the props and the creativity of Tim Burton and his team.

But the highlight of Frank-Con-Weenie (see what we did there?) so far has to be when the great man himself showed up for an exclusive signing, giving the exhibits an excited once over before spending some time with 60 lucky winners of the coveted fan pass for this one-of-a-kind appearance.

If you’re at SDCC this weekend make sure you check in with the Team at booth… we’d love to see you, and hear what you think! And stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter feeds for all the latest from the show floor.

We’ll be bringing you a full report from Comic-Con next week (once our inner geeks have calmed down a bit!) but there’s something we can’t sit on till then. One movie we have to give a shout out is our old friend Wreck-It-Ralph, whose rich gaming history is very close to our hearts.

Ralph has certainly made an impact – Sarah Silverman and John C. Reilly attending the Disney Panel on Thursday, a reveal of the first 11 mins of the movie, a brand new image and the discovery of some original Fix-it Felix Jr. games in a San Diego arcade! The classics are the best, and take it from us, this TobiKomi original is pure unadulterated thumb candy. Be sure to to give it a try. We can’t wait for our favorite bad guy to hit theaters this winter.

Right we’re off to try and get a better shot of that Stretch Armstrong cos-player. Enjoy the Con, and if you can’t be there, be sure to tune in next week for our best-of look at the whole shebang. Boom!