The 83rd Annual Academy Awards -- Highlights

Red Carpet


7:03 -- Mila Kunis talking to Tim Gunn on the red carpet. As usual, she looks stunning, and while all of America is staring longingly at her chest, Gunn is of course focused solely on her dress. Unfair.


7:14 -- Wow, Jennifer Lawrence, wow. Not only is she a knock-out, but a Jeff Bridges fan too! Any girl that can readily quote The Dude gets bonus points in my book, that's for sure.


7:28 -- Wait...Cate Blanchett is Australian? Coulda swore she was a brit. That's like the same thing, right?


7:30 -- Sunrise? Sunrise!? Mark Ruffalo's wife's name is SUNRISE!?!?


7:40 -- Manny of Modern Family tours the Governor's Ball, eats with Wolfgang Puck, and hits on Nicole Kidman. Lucky kid, and pretty damn funny in real life, it seems. Good for you.


7:47 -- Hollering at Wikipedia over the commercial break to find out why it's called an "Oscar." Nothing terribly helpful in that area, but I did find this tidbit very interesting: "Since 1950, the statuettes have been legally encumbered by the requirement that neither winners nor their heirs may sell the statuettes without first offering to sell them back to the Academy for US$1. If a winner refuses to agree to this stipulation, then the Academy keeps the statuette. Academy Awards not protected by this agreement have been sold in public auctions and private deals for six-figure sums.<sup>[18]" #oscartrivia


7:54 -- Digging the white tie, RDJ. Very classy, my friend. Sometimes I forget he's not actually Tony Stark.


8:01 -- Ok, I think that's my pick for best dressed (so far): Jennifer Hudson.


8:23 -- Bored already. This does not bode well...


The Show</sup>


8:32 -- And away we go...


8:37 -- "I have good news from the future: microphones get smaller." Loving this whole sketch. "You just go inceptioned!"


8:42 -- Is it just me, or does James Franco seem a bit rattled? Anne just seems much more calm natural, and James is looking a bit stiff by comparison. Not saying he's not in a nerve-racking position, but I'm just a little suprised; I kind of expected him to steal the show.


8:47 -- And the Oscar for Best Art Direction goes to Alice in Wonderland. Wacky world of Tim Burton, indeed.


8:49 -- And the Oscar for Best Cinematography goes to Wally Pfister - Inception. You think this guy knows he has glasses on his forehead? Probably not.


8:55 -- Oh wow. Gotta have a lot of respect for Kirk Douglas, but that delivery was a little scary. Good for him to be up their making jokes, but those nominees must be LOSING IT. But anyway, the award for Best Supporting Actress goes, much deservedly, to Melissa Leo. She was unreal in The Fighter; no surprises here. And great speech too! Way to drop the F-bomb, Melissa. Can't wait for the next season of "Treme."


9:01 -- The girlfriend (about JT and Mila Kunis presenting together): "Oh my god. If they made babies together I would eat them." Not really sure what that means, but I think I agree. And the Oscar for Best Animated Short goes to The Lost Thing. And wow, talk about Mr. Short and Mr. Tall!


9:05 -- And the oscar for Best Animated Feature goes to Toy Story 3. Oh, spanish Buzz, how you've forever changed the face of film.


9:14 -- Nice tuxes, boys. And the oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay goes to The Social Network. The first of many if you ask me. Is it just me, or does Aaron Sorkin kind of look like the gay guy from "How I Met Your Mother" that buys Lilly's painting just for the frame?


9:18 -- And the oscar for Best Original Screenplay goes to The King's Speech. Interesting that two two favorites for best picture are the winner's in these two categories. We'll see how this plays out as the show continues, but the former has my vote.


9:20 -- Oh no, poor Melissa Leo. I sure hope her f-bomb doesn't completely overshadow her win, because she was absolutely show-stopping in The Fighter.


9:24 -- Wow! Belt it, Anne! Funny song, but even better vocals. Prediction: she will make her way onto Glee some time very soon.


9:25 -- And the Charlie Sheen joke completely redeems Franco! Fantastic.


9:28 -- And the oscar for Best Foreign Film goes to In a Better World. In a better world, I'd know this movie exists. In a better world, I would care what this women has to say. In a better world, I'd be less of a prick, and would be married to Reese Witherspoon. But alas, reality bites.


9:31 -- And the oscar for Best Supporting Actor goes to Christian Bale. Another big duh. He and Melissa completely stole the show in that film. And wow, "my beautiful wife" is an understatement. Thought he forgot her name for a second (he was just welling up), but that woman could be named Dingleberry F. Poopenmyer and she'd still be a knock-out. Nice work, Batman.


9:41 -- Just now realizing how amazing this stage is...and the oscar for Best Original Score goes to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - The Social Network.


9:46 -- And the oscar for Best Sound Mixing goes to More People I Don't Car About - Inception. But seriously, yawn city. Losing my focus. Play these fools off, and let's get a move on. Oh wait, more BS: the oscar for Best Sound Editing goes to Inception, again.


9:52 -- Grrrrr...can't really make fun of Celine Dion when she's in a cancer commercial...I'm in a glass case of emotion!


9:55 -- Hey look, it's 15 nerds and Marisa Tomei! Cool!


9:56 -- And the oscar for Best Makeup goes to The Wolfman. Gross indeed, Cate. Gross indeed. And the oscar for Best Costume Design goes to Alice and Wonderland.


10:01 -- Damn, I really need to watch Hustle & Flow again. What a fantastic movie.


10:03 -- "Red headed lady reaching for an apple. She's gonna take a bite, nope, she's gonna breath on in first, wipes it on her blouse."


10:06 -- Hey, Chuck can sing! Who knew?


10:11 -- Yeah, I'm sorry James, but you're just not doing it for me. Seem very distracted and uninterested. Maybe it's nerves, but come on, loosen up a bit. Anyway, the oscar for Best Short Documentary goes to Strangers No More. And the osacr for Best Short Film goes to God of Love. Nice fro, dude, and very sweet shout-out to the wifey.


10:17 -- Autotune win!! "Fishing for Facebook" was my favorite. Gotta love autotune.


10:20 -- And the oscar for Best Documentary goes to Oprah!! Oh wait, she seemed to have a lot to say, so I figured she had won this category somehow. Oh well, the actual winner is The Inside Job.


10:27 -- Oh Billy, you are definitely looking old these days, but you still got that charm. I'd be happy to have him come back and host again; definitely fills that stage better than Franco.


10:32 -- And the oscars for Best Visual Effects and Best Editing go to Inception and The Social Network, respectively. Good thing they had RDJ and Jude Law calling these two; more snoozers IMHO. But those two are definitely a funny pair. Looking forward to the Sherlock sequel. The first was a bit too "Lock, Stock" for my taste, but I still enjoyed the ride and their comical banter. And come on, Jude. Wonder Woman > Batgirl, always.


10:43 -- Taking this musical performances as a chance to change venue, may miss a few pieces of this puzzle but I'll be back soon.


10:56 -- Ok I'm back. Phew. What did I miss...oh yeah, Best Original Song goes to Randy Newman's "We Belong Together" from Toy Story 3. "She takes a bite. Chews it once, twice, three times, four times. Takes a long hard look at Randy."


11:01 -- The Office debate continues: Hilary Swank-- hot or not hot? And wtf?! Why did we have to have Hilary Swank come out to introduce someone else who is presenting the awards. Keep wasting my time, Academy, please. Anyway, for the first of our BIG FOUR awards, the oscar for Best Director goes to Tom Hooper - The King's Speech. Ruh-roh; don't know how this bodes for The Social Network's shot at Best Film, but we shall see.


11:07 -- Yada yada yada, Governor's Awards, yada yada yada. Yes, these guys deserve to be honored. No, they shouldn't do it at the end of the show when we are waiting patiently for the big finale. I thought I was trucking along fine so far, but now I am REALLY losing it. Where are my tweezers? It's time to start pulling my hair out one strand at a time.


11:12 -- Here he is, The Dude, in the flesh, looking as chill and smooth as ever. Wish he wasn't addressing each nominee individually...wasting more of my time...but for you, Jeff Bridges, I'll let it slide. I finally got my hands on a copy of Crazy Heart; really pumped to dive into that one. But back to business, our second BIG FOUR award, the winner of Best Actress is...Natalie Portman! My heart be still. If only every Long Island jew could find such success, I would...well, I definitely wouldn't be sitting here clawing at my eyes as I document this nonsense. Congrats, girl!


11:19 -- ...ok, wrap it up, Nat.


11:21 -- Welcome back, Sandra. Liking the playful digs at the nominees, making this all much more bearable. Just thinking, it'd be really cool and weird if Jesse Eisenberg took this home. Wonder if he'd be the youngest actor to win...I'll look that up later. No matter, anyway, because the oscar for Best Actor goes to Colin Firth. Ok, I really need to see this film. Was pulling for the Dude to pull the back-to-back, but I'm sure this is deserved. Nice work, man.


11:29 -- the FINAL commercial break. Couldn't be happier. And yes, Eisenberg would have been the youngest winner, but he was NOT the youngest nominee. In fact, at 27, he's the 10th youngest nominee in history. The youngest winner ever? Adrian Brody (29) for his role in The Pianist. #oscartrivia


11:32 -- Aaaaaaand here we are.  The big finale, the last of our BIG FOUR, and a nicely-goateed Steven Spielberg to present the award. Based on how the show's gone so far, I think it's gotta go to The King's Speech, though I think The Social Network winning would be a bit more meaningful for whatever generational reason. But yea, the oscar goes to...


11:36 -- The King's Speech. Ok, now I really really need to see this. Seriously cleaned up this year. Congrats to all involved; I can't really muster up the strength for any legitimate commentary at this point, so, yeah, that's all I got.


11:40 -- Closing ceremonies. Don't want to take away from these kids, but HELLO, this is obviously pre-recorded. I mean, cool for you guys I guess, I never sang at the oscars. Guess I'm just bitter. Need sleep. Thanks for reading. 

S.O.S. -- Save Our Shows!

Even with the advent of DVRs, people still don't have enough time to watch all the good shows on TV. It doesn't matter that you can record shows to watch later; inevitably, some shows slip through the cracks and fall off people's radars. And as a result, some of the better shows out there don't get renewed for future season because they just aren't being seen. It doesn't matter how good a show's reviews are; if people aren't watching, advertisers aren't paying, and they end up on the cutting-room floor. As always, there are many shows on the chopping block this season: some are great, some not so much; some are returning shows that have always been on the bubble, others are new shows that didn't get the proper reception. But three in particular have me truly troubled. These three shows are some of my favorite serialized stories out there, and while they have received critical acclaim, they are under-watched and under-appreciated. So if you have a heart, and some extra space on your DVR, try and catch these gems before it's too late. Maybe your viewings will push them over the edge and get them renewed for another season.

Chuck

• Plot: Charles "Chuck" Bartowski (Zachary Levi) is just a normal mid-20s nerdy screw-up. Expelled from Stanford, Chuck's life is stuck in neutral as he wastes away at the Burbank Buy More--a fictional take on Best Buy--where he works as a member of the Nerd Herd (Geek Squad). But one day, Chuck receives an email from his old college roommate with a very important attachment: a CIA/NSA supercomputer-worth of information contained in a series of images, also known as "the Intersect." The Intersect burns itself onto Chuck's brain, and then is erased completely, making Chuck's cerebral copy the only one in existence. Realizing Chuck's brain's incredible value, both the NSA and CIA assign their top agents to protect him--one, the rough-and-tumble Major John Casey (Adam Baldwin), and the other, the sexy and tempting Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski). Soon enough, however, Chuck proves a huge asset to the government, as he is able to recall information from the Intersect when presented with the right stimuli. Soon enough, Chuck is thrust into the heart of international espionage, and later downloads the Intersect 2.0, which allows him to not only recall information, but also access special-agent techniques, like lock-picking, computer hacking, and, best of all, combat training like martial arts and sharpshooting.
• Why you should be watching: Watching Chuck grow from an everyday dork into a super-spy is really quite entertaining, especially as the series progresses and we realize he is more than just a home for the Intersect. Everyone loves a good underdog story, and if you can accept some of the shows more ridiculous aspects, this is one that really delivers. And it's more layered than you'd think for an action-comedy, as the interactions between Chuck and his sister Ellie (Sarah Lancaster), the revelations about their parents, and Chuck and Sarah's romance add a nice emotional depth to the show. Don't get me wrong, it's chock-full of laughs, but the characters are also very real and likable.
• Why you aren't: While the characters may be realistic, the way the show handles the premise most certainly is not. Chuck tries to entrench itself within the real world with references to the CIA, NSA, government affairs, and international relations, but falls very flat in this aspect. Whether it is how the agents constantly refer to themselves as "spies," how the government allows civilians like Chuck's friend Morgan (Joshua Gomez) to go on missions, or how enemies seem extremely reluctant to pull their triggers, it is all a bit tough to swallow as "real". And this has been a problem that has turned off viewers from the start, with the show's future being in constant jeopardy even though it has lasted four seasons thanks to a faithful and vocal cult following.

Fringe

• Plot: After a series of supernatural events begin taking lives all over the north-east United States, the FBI assembles a task force to investigate these strange occurrences, labeled the Fringe Division. The FBI assigns special agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) to the team, and she assembles the other key members: bizarre mad scientist and mental institution patient Walter Bishop (John Noble), and Walter's multi-talented son Peter (Joshua Jackson). Together, the team begins tracing the strange happenings (known as "the Pattern") back to one looming source: Massive Dynamic, a huge advanced science and technology conglomerate headed up by Walter's old partner, the mysterious William Bell (Leonard Nimoy). Olivia soon learns that she was not chosen for this job just because she is a good agent, but instead due to her latent psyonic abilities, which she developed as a result of tests run on her by Walter and Bell when she was a child. Using these abilities, Olivia discovers the true source of "the Pattern": the convergence of our universe with a parallel one. And at the center of this convergence is one decision Walter made many years ago, when he crossed between universes to accomplish a selfish goal. As both universes are slowly torn apart, the Fringe teams on both sides fight to save their own--even if, for some, that means destroying the other completely.
• Why you should be watching: This show takes a little while to really get rolling, but when it does, ooooooh boy. No one should be surprised that this J. J. Abrams project has an extremely deep and layered mythology. And as we continue to peel away the many layers of this onion, things just get better and better. The supernatural "Pattern" events, the differences between the two universes, the way the show turns common sci-fi cliches on their heads; everything is done with a level of brains and sophistication that is entirely unique and thoroughly fantastic. And perhaps even better is the father-son combo of Peter and Walter. Walter is hilariously insane and Peter is boorish and sarcastic, yet together, they are heartwarming and enjoyable to watch as their relationship waxes and wanes.
• Why you aren't: Like Abrams' supernova show Lost, Fringe is VERY tough to just jump into. There is waaaaay too much history, back-story, and established mythos at this point, that trying to pick up the show in the middle would be nearly impossible, especially for more casual viewers not up for a challenge. And this speaks volumes about the show's performance, as only dedicated fans who have followed from the beginning continue to watch. Somehow the show has made it to a third season, but is in an unfavorable Friday night time slot. Abram's himself has said he needs four season to properly tie up the show's story and do the fans justice, so here's hoping we at least see Fringe renewed for one more go-round.

No Ordinary Family

• Plot: The Powell family was once just an ::ahem:: ordinary family: husband, wife, and teenage daughter and son, doing their best to gel but finding it difficult to make time for one another. So they decide to take a family trip to South America. However, things go awry when their puddle-jumper crashes into a remote body of water. The family survives, but a few days after returning home, they realize they will never be the same. Jim Powell (Michael Chiklis), the family patriarch and police sketch artist, develops super strength and skin tough enough to withstand gunfire. Dr. Stephanie Powell (Julie Benz), a gifted scientist and the family matriarch, develops super speed and an increased metabolism. And children Daphne and J.J. develop the ability to read minds and a super-powered intellect, respectively. While the kids try to survive high school while making the most of their unique talents, Jim, along with long-time friend and assistant DA George St. Cloud (Romany Malco), chooses to utilize his new powers to fight crime, and Stephanie and her lab assistant Katie (Autumn Reeser) work on discovering the source of these abilities. But things get complicated when other super-powered humans start creating havoc all over the area, and it all starts tracing back to Stephanie's villainous boss, Dr. Dayton King (Stephen Collins).
• Why you should be watching: As a comic book fan, I was always extremely disappointed in how Heroes dealt with super-powered folk. That show tried to build this huge mythology instead of letting the heroes do what real people with powers would do: either cause crime, or fight against it. But No Ordinary Family is really satisfying in this aspect, as Jim immediately jumps at the chance to help others, and his bouts with some of the super-powered villains in the show are very well done. The show has managed to make use of comic book cliches and cheesiness without going overboard like this season's other superhero show The Cape. Further, the plot has really taken off recently, with a nicely-woven tapestry of twists and turns that keeps me tuning in every week.
• Why you aren't: Like many new shows, No Ordinary Family had some MAJOR growing pains early on. The first few episodes were extremely cheesy, the characters were one-dimensional, and it took way too long to set the stage for the grater conflicts. I'm sure a lot of people lost interest after the first few sub-par episodes. A shame, really, as this is the first network show in recent memory to truly do justice to the superhero/super power genre. It's really rolling now, and it looks like it may have been too little too late.

10,000 Hits!!

Well, thanks to all of you loyal readers, PopREX has hit a HUGE milestone. I don't think I could've imagined when this blog launched that it would see 10,000 hits, but low and behold, you have all made that happen! Thanks so much for your continued support, and keep your eyes on all of those Facebooks, Twitters, and whathaveyous for notifications about new content. Or, click "follow" on the right to simultaneously show your support AND keep yourself apprised. Thanks again!

And as always, if you are looking to contribute, please do not hesitate to reach out.

"Dead Island" Trailer-- The most stunning game trailer I may have ever seen...

No commentary needed. Just watch, then pick your jaw off the floor:

More Dead Island Videos

And, for fun, IGN remixed the trailer in proper chronological order. Check it:

More Dead Island Videos

Um, yeah. Wow.

Spider-Man Reboot Gets Title and Full Costume Pic!

Ok, so I promise I'll take a break from Marvel movie news soon, but I couldn't hold back on this one. As I mentioned in the Captain America post, Marvel is rebooting the Spider-Man movie franchise, with a new flick coming out on July 3rd, 2012. Details about the film have been scarce so far. We know that Peter Parker will be played by The Social Network's Andrew Garfield, and his love interest this time around will be Gwen Stacey, played by Easy A's Emma Stone (with a particularly sexy blonde dye-job, last seen at the Golden Globes). Sally Field and Martin Sheen will play Peter's guardians Aunt May and Uncle Ben, and Rhys Ifans (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) will be the central villain, getting nice and scaly as Dr. Curt Conners/The Lizard. Beyond that, all we know is that this version of Spider-Man will be a younger take on the hero, focusing on his high school years as opposed to Sam Raimi's post-grad take. Further plot details, including whether we will see a complete retelling of the origin story, are still unclear.

But today, Marvel released two very interesting pieces of info. First and foremost, the movie finally has an official title: The Amazing Spider-Man. I like it--a nice homage to the comic book series. However, it is the second piece of info that has got me really geeking out. You see, Marvel also released the below picture, the first image of Garfield in full Spider-Man garb. Check it out:

Initial impressions: I really like the textural look, and how the red and blue areas look like they are made of different materials, kind of like how the Batsuit in The Dark Knight mixed mesh and armor plating. Looks much more real-to-life than all-over spandex would be. But the real zinger? Look at his wrists. I may be wrong (even though I'm almost always right), but to me, those definitely look like web-shooters! You see, in the comic universe, Spider-Man couldn't just produce webbing from his wrists like he can in the movies. Instead, Parker develops his own web fluid cartridges which he loads into mechanical web-shooters he designed using his scientific genius. He has to replace these cartridges when he runs out, and on many occasions has developed special types of webbing to use against different foes (like a hardening solution he used when fighting Hydroman and non-conductive webbing he utilized against Electro). I like this version better than what we saw in the comics, as it accentuates Parker's scientific genius, and sets up so more sticky situations when he runs out of webbing mid-swing or battle. Also, the web-shooters help better explain how Parker can construct some more advanced web structures, like differentiating between simple strands, giant globs, intricate webs, and others.

Spider-Man has always been my number-one favorite superhero. I absolutely loved the first two movies (with Spider-Man 2 being my all time favorite comic book film), but the third kind of pushed it way over the line from powerful-yet-campy to completely absurd and ridiculous. But now that I've seen this picture, I have more faith that the reboot will take the Spider-Man universe a bit more seriously, and reinvigorate this franchise with the bit of reality it was always missing. It's a long way away, but I am definitely looking forward to this one...

First "X-Men: First Class" Trailer Revealed!

Wow, super nerd alert! It is only appropriate that after my huge, geeky info-dump about Captain America yesterday that Marvel would toss us even more media to get excited about. Today, the first trailer for the upcoming X-Men: First Class film was released to the public. First Class is billed as a sort of reboot/prequel to the original X-Men trilogy, and follows the young Professor X (James McAvoy--Wanted) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender--Inglorious Bastards) back when they were best friends first discovering their powers. The two form the first grouping of X-Men, and fend off the advances of the villainous Hellfire Club, whose leader Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon--every movie ever) is bent on world domination. Other familiar mutant faces are along for the ride, including Emma Frost (January Jones--"Mad Men"), Beast (Nicholas Hoult--About a Boy), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence--Winter's Bone), and Havok (Lucas Till--Hannah Montana-The Movie). Not much else is known about the plot, though from the trailer, it looks like the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War will factor into it all somehow. Either way, it is great to see this film finally taking shape, as it is due out this summer. Check out the trailer below, and keep your eyes peeled for the ever-helpful IGN Rewind Theater, where nerd experts will break the clip down frame-by-frame to show you what you missed.

My initial take? Excitement, almost exclusively as a result of the blue-and-yellow uniforms that are much more in line with the comic book X-Men than the black leather outfits we saw donned in the original trilogy.

More X-Men: First Class Videos

UPDATE: Here is the IGN Rewind Theater of the trailer as promised:

More X-Men: First Class Videos

Captain America Primer: Getting Ready for the First Avenger

As most everyone should know by now, after the immense success of the first Iron Man movie, Marvel has pushed forward with their own "Avengers Initiative": adapting their iconic "A-team" for the big screen. For the unfamiliar, The Avengers are a team of superheroes from the Marvel Universe of comics, comprised of some of Marvel's most iconic characters: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, as well as other big names from time to time. Iron Man and The Hulk have both seen modern theatrical adaptations. So to round out the roster, Marvel is releasing two high profile films this summer: Thor (5/6/11) and Captain America: The First Avenger (7/22/11). Then, in 2012, after the public becomes familiar with the origins and general whats-what of these two comic book stalwarts, all four (and more) will be brought together for the full Avengers movie (directed by the geek-approved Joss Whedon of Buffy the Vampire fame). 

Since their announcement, I have been extremely excited for Thor and kind of lukewarm on Captain. Casting and plotting details have been available for Thor for quite some time now, with big names like Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins complimenting the fairly unknown Chris Hemsworth, who will take up the hammer as the title character. Captain was always much more shrouded in secret, with the announcement of Chris Evans coming later and receiving a mixed reaction. After all, Evans' last visit to comic book land was in the detestable Fantastic Four films, where he played Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, an extremely different type of superhero than the much more serious and valiant Captain America. And given Thor's godly origins, powers, and settings, I have just always been a bigger fan of him than the Captain. That is, until Marvel released this ridiculously bad-ass one-sheet:

Awesome, right? Well it gets better. A few days later, during the Superbowl, the first Captain America: The First Avenger trailer was aired. And while I'm still not completely sold that this is going to be a sure fire hit, I'm about 100x more excited for this film then I had been previously. You can check out the HD trailer here, or for a more nerd-friendly option, head over to IGN's Rewind Theater where they break it down frame-by-frame to show you what your pitiful human eyes wouldn't otherwise catch. It's definitely a brief clip, but when scrutinized, you realize there is actually a wealth of tasty morsels hidden in there.

I know what you're think: "Okay, great. I see the picture, I watched the trailer, but I still don't get it. Who is Captain America, and why should I care?" Good question, and to answer it, I have put together this little primer--a brief summary of the Captain America back-story (which will be the focus of this movie) and why he is important to the Marvel Universe. Thanks to Wikipedia for ensuring I got my facts straight.

Basically, born in 1917, Steven Rogers (Chris Evans) was a scrawny student who became extremely disturbed by the rise of the Third Reich during WWII. Determined to do something about it, Rogers attempted to enlist, but due to his poor physical shape, he was rejected. However, Rogers' determination didn't go unnoticed, and he was soon approached by Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones). Phillips was looking for test subjects for a new defense project labeled Operation: Rebirth, an experimental procedure designed by the scientist Abraham Erksine (Stanley Tucci). The procedure employed a mix of radiation and injections of the iconic Super-Solider Serum (which we see utilized in the most recent Hulk movie), and was meant to turn normal troops into superior soldiers operating at the peak of human physical potential. Rogers, anxious to help his country, volunteers, and soon becomes the first human test subject. The process is extremely painful, but on all other accounts, a complete success--the meek Rogers is transformed into the perfect human specimen, operating at the pinnacle of what the human body is capable.

Now, this next part I won't go into too much detail about, because some may consider it a "spoiler" of sorts for the movie. But let's just say that at this point, some seedy characters come into play, and as a result of this intervention, Operation: Rebirth is completely destroyed and can no longer be applied to anyone else. To cover up this failure, the government creates an alter-ego for Rogers called Captain America. They bill him as a superhero of sorts, whose powers were a gift of unknown origin, and give him a red white and blue suit and shield to round out the package. This way, Rogers can function as both himself and Captain America without anybody knowing about Operation: Rebirth or the Super-Soldier serum. And with his new identity and abilities in hand, Rogers goes on to lead the charge against the Nazis and, more specifically, the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving)--Hitler's right hand man and head of advanced weaponry, and for all intents and purposes, Captain America's number one arch nemesis. Towards the end of the war, however, the Captain is hurled into freezing North Atlantic waters. His body is never recovered, and he is presumed dead. That is, not until years later, when the superhero team the Avengers finds him frozen in suspended animation, whereafter he is revived and joins their cause in the modern era.

At this point in time, the main conflict of the film is still unclear. We know it will focus on Captain America's origins and his exploits during WWII. We know The Cap will be facing off against the Red Skull and the terrorist organization known as HYDRA. We know Cap's iconic sidekick Bucky Barnes will be around for the ride (played by Sebastian Stan), as will his wartime girlfriend Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) and a few other Marvel mainstays (Dum Dum Dugan, played by Neal McDonough; Arnim Zola, played by Toby Jones; Howard Stark, father of Tony Stark/Iron Man, played by Dominic Cooper). We also know that the Red Skull's plans will somehow center around obtaining the Cosmic Cube, which is a mystic artifact that grants its holder immense power, and reappears within the Marvel Universe on many occasions (though apparently in the film it is known as the "Tesseract"). Beyond that, well, we'll just have to wait and see.

So get excited, because it looks like Captain America: The First Avenger is prepared to wow moviegoers on July 22nd. And with Thor coming in May, and the Avengers film slated for launch in mid-2012, Marvel fans have a lot to look forward to in the coming years (not to mention 2011's X-Men: First Class and the 2012 Spiderman reboot). So stay tuned to Poposaurus for more Marvel movie updates, true believers!

Competitive Karaoke: Singing for the Win

[Fans of music, performing, and making total asses of themselves in front of lots of people should pay particular attention to this article.]

Those of you that have that know me well (or have met me for more than five minutes) know I do one thing pretty frequently: sing. No, I'm not always belting out the high notes at the top of my lungs (though sometimes I am), but more often than not, I have a song in my head and softly trickling out of my mouth. And up until recently, I hadn't found the proper outlet for this melodic hobby. You see, between school, work, and my other obligations, I had, for a while, kind of fallen out of music. Whereas once upon a time I was always a member of a few choirs or a Capella groups here and there, for the past few years, I had been completely without such extracurriculars. That is until one of my friends stumbled upon a local little-known gem of singing fun: the New York City Karaoke League.

Sure, everyone has done karaoke. And sure, in NYC, you can find a fun karaoke joint in just about any neighborhood. But I bet few if ANY of you have ever done competitive karaoke. Now, I know what you're thinking: competitive karaoke? That's ridiculous! And you'd be right--it is ridiculous. Ridiculous amounts of fun! ::wink, nudge, wink:: This may be a confusing concept for some, so let's start at the beginning. Basically, the league proceeds as follows: you assemble a team of 5-6 singers (ideally with an even male/female ratio) and once a week your team goes head-to-head against another team. Each team puts forth a male solo, a female solo, and a group number, and those songs are judged against each other by two other teams in the league, with scoring based on the singers' sound (pitch, volume, accuracy, etc) and showmanship (how well you "perform" the song, which could involve props or costumes if you so choose). Teams accumulate wins and losses each week depending on how each of your team's songs do against the other team's, and are then ranked based on your overall record and total team score. At the end of the regular season, these ranking become seedings for the playoffs, with the league champion being crowned after two weeks of post-season play.

But there's more. You can't simply pick any song you want each week (though the first match-up and the finals are usually open choice). Each week, there is a different them that your songs have to fit within, adding an extra layer of strategy to the proceedings. Past seasons have seen themes like one-hit wonders, cover songs, magic night, role reversal (where guys sing girl songs and vice-versa), British invasion, and other creative choices. The post-season gets even more specific, pitting specific artists, bands or genres against one another, with the higher seeded team getting first pick of which side to sing for. And all of this goes down with drink specials, cheap food, and in a friendly-yet-competitive atmosphere.

The league has seen 5 successful seasons so far, with Season 6 set to kick-off on February 16th. If you think you've got the chops and can round up a team of friends who are looking for a fun Wednesday night diversion, head over to the registration page to get in while you still can. Registration closes on the 11th, so if you want in, you better move with the quickness. If you have doubts, feel free to come to the pre-season party to get a feel for the crowd and atmosphere next Wednesday, the 9th @ 7:30pm at PULSE Karaoke. And for more information about the league, scoring, and past seasons, check out the website (which I think is getting a full overhaul sometime soon). So warm up those vocals, start thinking of song choices, prepare to shake your respective money-makers, and I hope to see you all up on that stage!

The Killers: A Crash Course

Let me guess. When you hear someone mention The Killers, your mind goes straight to one place: "Mr. Brightside." Don't worry; it's a common ailment. I too was once a Killers neophyte, knowing very little about the Las Vegas band and their electronic dance-rock ways. But then I gave them a second glance, and I am a much better person for it. With their unique instrumentation, powerful vocals, and 80s influences, The Killers took no time becoming one of my favorite bands once I digested all of their music. And now that it has worked its way all the way through my tract, I am ready to ::ahem:: poop out a processed version for your listening pleasure. Gross. Awesome.

What I have done (and have done previously for other bands like Muse) is selected four tracks from each of the band's four major albums: the three studio albums Hot Fuss, Sam's Town, and Day & Age, and their collection of rerecorded B-sides and covers Sawdust. I have excluded from this list "Mr. Brightside" and "Somebody Told Me" because, well, let's be honest: if you haven't heard those songs, you probably wouldn't really be interested in a list like this anyway. Also, you probably don't have ears, which means you definitely wouldn't be interested in this list. Together, the 16 songs make up what is not only a great Killers mix, but also a fantastic snapshot of their greater library, nicely demonstrating the progress the band has made since their debut (though I am a firm believer that Hot Fuss, their first album, is by far their best). With this mix, you will know The Killers old and new, and can hang tough with even the most avid fans. Enjoy!

Hot Fuss (2004)

• "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine"
• "All These Things That I've Done"
• "On Top"
• "Change Your Mind"

Sam's Town (2006)

• "When You Were Young"
• "This River is Wild"
• "Sam's Town"
• "Bones"

Sawdust (2007)

• "All the Pretty Faces"
• "Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf"
• "Move Away"
• "Under the Gun"

Day & Age (2008)

• "Spaceman"
• "Losing Touch"
• "The World We Live In"
• "I Can't Stay"

Well, there you have it. And if you get hooked, keep you eyes on the interwebs--it seems The Killers will be reconvening in May to finish work on their fourth studio album.