pop culture
Modern popular culture topics in the geek sphere.
Mel Brooks' 'High Anxiety' Is Still a Welcome Relief
Mel Brooks' filmmaking career has been a continual source of amazement and amusement for me. Highlighted in The Producers, the unique combination of sophisticated wit and Yiddish vaudeville that inhabit his brilliant comic mind materialized in Brooks’ brilliant yet often erratic films. The manic hilarity of the 2,000 year old man and the distinctly crazy sense of humor that established Brooks as a legendary comedy writer and presence transferred often in a visually shocking way. Mel Brooks' distinct method of transferring his madness into movies became his signature calling card.
Mike MavenfulPublished 7 years ago in GeeksEvil TV and Movie Presidents
Presidents as the “bad guy” are a trope that shows up in movies and TV shows all the time. While there are plenty of president TV shows and president movies, only a select few explore the plot mechanism that exists in an evil president. Presidents make the perfect villain—instead of being outside the law, they control it. He has the power of a whole country on his side, including the police. The “good guy” is left outside the law, fighting against everyone and their bad reputation to try to save the day. What makes presidents the perfect villain is that the hero of the story can rarely truly beat them, they can only thwart them for the day. Below is a list of the most evil TV and movie presidents that we love to hate.
James LizowskiPublished 7 years ago in GeeksLose No Sleep Over 'Lost Boys II: The Tribe'
When I think of the movies that influenced my nubile mind during the 80’s the campy horror flick LOST BOYS leaps to the foreground, fangs, feathered hair and all! There is a certain self-deprecating dark humor that 80’s horror movies have that current films of the same genre often have a hard time capturing. Perhaps it was the prevalence of neon colored spandex, vinyl and Max Headroom sunglasses or a residual Miami Vice spray paint and cocaine induced high that allowed director and actors the ability to laugh at themselves in just the right ways while poking repeated fun at the plasticized culture around them. Whatever it was, 80’s horror films are unmistakable treasures, defining symbols of the era’s cultural sharp attitude.
Gabrielle FaustPublished 7 years ago in GeeksPowerpuff Girl Cosplay Guide
Channel your inner Blossom, Bubbles, or Buttercup with this easy to follow Powerpuff Girls cosplay guide. The Powerpuff Girls may be small, but their powers and style pack a super-sized punch. Fight evil in the city of Townsville, USA with these awesome cosplay costume ideas. This guide will help you out with everything from the dress, the hair, the makeup, and all the fun accessories you need to get the iconic looks from this action-packed trio. Bring your 90s nostalgia back in an all too real way with these costumes. This guide gives you tips for putting together these identifiable costumes with items that you may already have in your closet, or that can be easily be purchased on Amazon. Below you can find helpful hints on how to put together the look, where to buy the things you need for it, and instructions on how to do your makeup and hair. Get out there and fight evil, and look cute doing it with this Powerpuff Girls cosplay guide.
Patricia SarkarPublished 7 years ago in GeeksThe Dark Side of The Force: The Misunderstood Side
One aspect that is present in any Star Wars related media is The Force. Whether it is used by the Jedi or the Sith, the force is everywhere in the Star Wars galaxy. Even people who are not able to manipulate it acknowledge its existence. Everyone also knows that there is the light side of the force, and the dark side of the force. The light side is associated with the Jedi, and the dark side with the Sith. Although it is viewed as evil, and even labeled the dark side, it is not inherently evil. It is just misunderstood, and at the mercy of an organization that gives it a bad name.
Eliot HechtPublished 7 years ago in GeeksTop Ten Classic Comic Batman Trivia Tidbits
There’ve been so many iterations of the Dark Knight detective we aren’t sure who the guy under the hood is at his core. But the best way to know for sure is to do a little sleuthing ourselves, and trace back his mysterious roots!
Matt CatesPublished 7 years ago in Geeks5 Films You Can See if You Wish to Live For a Very Long Time
This is the third article in an ongoing series about films you should watch if you are interested in immortality. You should read the first and second articles first if you haven't read them yet before you go any further.
Alejandro Guillú MendozaPublished 7 years ago in Geeks5 Greatest "Unrealistic" Sports Games
The first video game I had for the SEGA Dreamcast was NBA 2K, the most realistic basketball video game at the time. Every sports game since then brags about how realistic it is, and as the years go on the game gets more and more lifelike. But there's something fun about breaking away from that, sometimes realistic is stale. I was always a big fan of video games that were deemed "unrealistic" and frankly, I prefer those games to Madden and NBA 2K. Some of my friends that are die hard sports fans said these games were a disgrace to the sport. Those friends were wrong. Just because you like playing a realistic (read boring) baseball game and I like playing baseball with fire and punching, doesn't make one game necessarily better than the other. For those of you who are fans of these so called disgraces, here's the 5 best unrealistic sports video games.
Jason SchwartzPublished 7 years ago in GeeksCycle of Life
**This article contains spoilers of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life** “Mom.” “Yeah?” “I’m pregnant.” Those final four words from Rory Gilmore have now erupted shock waves across the internet, phone lines, and social gatherings. I, like a large score of others who loved the Gilmore Girls show for years, am no exception. I gasped, I laughed, and I logically saw it as an opening for another revival. But, as I sat on my bed, my knitting falling from my hands, staring solo at my television I couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of nostalgia, anger, let down, and longing wave over me.
Annessa BabicPublished 7 years ago in GeeksHow to Increase Your Wealth by $80 Million Hiring Will Ferrell
This is the fourth article in an ongoing series about the most overpaid actors and actresses in Hollywood. We just made another billion with Rogue One. How should we reinvest it in more films?
Alejandro Guillú MendozaPublished 7 years ago in Geeks3 Good Films Starring The Beautiful Halle Berry
This is the second article in an ongoing series about the most beautiful actors and actresses in Hollywood. You should read the previously published article 9 Good Films Starring The Beautiful Thandie Newton first if you haven't read it yet before you go any further.
Alejandro Guillú MendozaPublished 7 years ago in GeeksBest Netflix Original Series of 2016
It’s difficult to declare one show the absolute best Netflix original series of 2016. The innovative streaming platform has put their focus on quality shows and the effort makes them stand out, not only for originality but for a diversity of programming that traditional television and cable lack. While it might be hard to pick just one, here are some of the best Netflix original series of 2016.
Emily McCayPublished 7 years ago in Geeks