Mr. T and Bill Hader Join 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' - Cinematical

While speaking with Anna about her upcoming projects, she did tell us a little bit more about the voice work she's doing for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, based on the popular book by Judi and Rob Barrett. The film follows "a scientist who tries to solve world hunger only to see things go awry as food falls from the sky in abundance."

First off, I love Bill Hader and Anna Faris so I'm glad they are involved in this. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is probably my favorite children's book of all time. I read it like a billion times when I was a kid and it may or may not have contributed to my large girth. Or maybe that's why I liked it, I don't know. I just really, really loved the pictures. I haven't read the book in years but I can still see almost all of them in my mind, crystal clear.

That being said, I don't remember anything about "a scientist who tries to solve world hunger" being in the book. It's just a town where it rains food. Simple as that. I guess they had to come up with a reason for it for the movie, but for me that was what made the whole story so magical. We didn't need to know why it rained food in Chewandswallow, it just did and for some reason things took a turn for the worse.

Mind you, I don't think the film is going to suck now or anything like that. I'm happy I'll finally get to see the book come to life and I think the animation is going to be great. There's still a ways to go as the release date isn't until 2010. I seriously haven't been this excited for an animated movie in years.

On Friday I was overjoyed to see that my Xbox had arrived. I'm very impressed with the service and the turnaround time from Microsoft. Friday night I hung out with Justin, Jon and Grace to celebrate Grace and Justin's birthday and I finally got my LAN cable from Jon. It wasn't Jon's fault at all but I've been a tad lazy about it and pretty darn busy. So now I finally have internet on my desktop. I had been wanting to set up Xbox Media Center for a long time and now I finally could.

Before I really got going with setting up Media Center I got hooked into Bionic Commando: Rearmed. I loved Bionic Commando when I was a kid and this takes the old game and somehow makes it even more awesome. The game looks great and the new features are a lot of fun. It's well worth the 800 Microsoft Points.

Once I pried myself away from my grappling hook adventures I set up the Media Center Extender on the Xbox. It was a really simple setup process and once I got it going I started listening to my music collection which was pretty cool. Then I browsed through some of the online content options which included all three seasons of Arrested Development as well as content from TVTonic. TVTonic, in addition to its own internet video channels, allows you to add any video podcast feed you want. It also included exclusive Olympics feeds. The coverage is really great and in addition to a basic highlights channel they have channels for many different sports. I subscribed to the Basketball feed and watched a couple of the games in their entirety. I also checked out the whole Opening Ceremonies. Everything looks great on my TV.

The one minor problem with Media Center Extender is that unlike the Xbox itself, it can't stream Divx files. There are some programs and hacks out there to allow playback through the Extender but I tried one and couldn't get it to work. Instead I just set up Media Sharing on Windows Media Player and watched a couple TV shows through the Dashboard. The Divx files looked pretty amazing on my TV and there was no stuttering or anything like that. I'm very impressed.

Since I got a free month of Netflix as part of a settlement from something that happened with them awhile back I'm going to hop back on the Netflix train. While Microsoft did announce that you will be able get your Watch Instantly library through the dashboard sometime this fall, you don't have to wait until then. You don't have to buy a Roku either. All you need to do is download vmcNetflix and follow these instructions.

Now that I've got all this stuff going, my 360 has become an all-in-one entertainment solution. I certainly won't miss cable TV. It's kind of amazing to think how far home entertainment, broadband internet, and console gaming have come that all this can be possible.

DreamHost Blog » Just Your Average Happy DreamHost Customer

(Early this morning, one of our shared web servers ovaltine started crashing. We quickly narrowed it down to nastialiukin.com. At her website manager?s request, we moved her temporarily to a different shared server with nobody else on it. It also kept crashing!

So, we switched her (static html) site from Apache to lighttpd and immediately the load dropped from 200 to .2 (unfortunately, lighttpd is really only good for static files).. but then the network port started to saturate!

To deal with that, (again at her website manager?s request) we turned off the auto-playing flash mp3 streamer on the front of her site (who wants those anyway), and then things were finally under control!)

So when a famous customer of yours' site has issues you totally go out of your way to fix everything. When a non-famous long time customer of yours' site causes server issues you disable their account and send cryptic messages offering no help. That's super. Don't be fooled, people.

Myspace.com Blogs - NC17 No More, Toronto and Crazy 4 Cult! - Kevin Smith MySpace Blog

I saw "Watchmen." It's fucking astounding. The Non-Disclosure Agreement I signed prevents me from saying much, but I can spout the following with complete joygasmic enthusiasm: Snyder and Co. have pulled it off.

Remember that feeling of watching "Sin City" on the big screen and being blown away by what a faithful translation of the source material it was, in terms of both content and visuals? Triple that, and you'll come close to watching "Watchmen." Even Alan Moore might be surprised at how close the movie is to the book. March can't come soon enough.

I believe he also saw the new Star Trek. Color me jealous. If you're going to be in the L.A. area on August 22nd you can come hang out with Kevin (and me) at the Crazy 4 Cult 2 art show featuring some awesome cult film inspired artwork. We had a blast at last year's show and this year will be even bigger and better.

the Sad Geek Blog - tech tips and tutorials: Russia invades Georgia(US): Dude doesn't see the tanks, should he be worried?

Found on Yahoo Answers:

Even if it was posted as a joke, it's still pretty darn funny.

Thanks Fail Dogs.

Redefining abortion: Federal officials considering a rule allowing health care workers to refuse to provide contraceptives | Editorial | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

The Bush administration has consistently opposed providing funding for international birth control programs, but until now has not tried to limit the use of contraceptives inside the United States.

That could change in the president's final months in office. Health and Human Services officials are considering a draft regulation that would classify most birth control pills, the Plan B emergency contraceptive and intrauterine devices as forms of abortion because they prevent the development of fertilized eggs into fetuses.

The rule, which does not require congressional approval, would allow health care workers who object to abortion on moral or religious grounds to refuse to counsel women on their birth control options or supply contraceptives. It would forbid more than half a million health agencies nationwide that receive federal funds from requiring employees to provide such services. Pharmacists could use the rule as a justification for refusing to fill birth control prescriptions, and insurance companies could cite it as a basis for declining to cover the costs.

First off, I'm aware that many of our readers are against abortion. This isn't about that. Anyone in their right mind can see that this action will only result in more abortions, especially among the poor. Not to mention it could affect many of you readers directly if your pharmacist or insurance company decides to suddenly stop providing or covering birth control. I have no idea why the Bush administration is considering this but I do know that it will have huge ramifications if passed. You can sign a petition to the secretary of Health and Human Services here or you can contact your representative and express your concern.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled geekery.

In an earlier post I talked about my changing opinion regarding Brian Krakow. Now that I've finished the whole series again I have to say that I'm back to saying that Brian Krakow is awesome. Yes, as Jeri pointed out in the comments, Brian is kind of creepy. He also is kind of a jerk at times. As I continued to watch the show I thought about what I was like when I was Brian's age. I was awkward and had no idea how to talk to girls or what to do to get a girlfriend. This resulted in me being that borderline creepy guy simply because I didn't know any better. I think the same is true of Krakow and this is evidenced by the way he grows during the run of the show. As he makes new friends and becomes a bit more self confident he begins to be less socially awkward. For many this transition is seamless but for the Brian Krakows of the world (of whom I am one) it is a long and arduous process, so difficult that some never quite complete it.

The ending of the show, which isn't really an ending, always makes me scream and/or cry. Brian pretty much reveals his true feelings to Angela and while she does appear to be intrigued by this, she still gets in the car with Jordan. Fade to black. It reminds me of another Brian, the one in The Breakfast Club. Despite everything that happened in the movie and how all the characters supposedly came together, he's still left alone in the end to write the essay for the rest of the group. For many years this seemed to be our lot in life as geeks. These days it's nice to see that the Brian Krakows of the world have taken over. We are no longer left riding our bikes in the driveway or doing someone else's homework while the cool kids drive off and pump their fists in the air.Yes, Brian Krakow had his flaws. We all do.

I think some of my original disdain for Krakow was because many of his flaws are or were my own flaws. I had a Delia Fisher in high school. I'm pretty sure she still hates (or strongly dislikes) me to this day. I also had an Angela Chase in high school. Just like Brian, I never got that happily ever after, but things did turn out okay. I think the world is now in a better place when it comes to us. I know that if the show were released just a few years later it would have been absolutely huge and we would have gotten to see Krakow have his day. Instead we are left with things very vague and uncertain. I think it's almost better that way.

I arrived safely home from our Tomfest trip yesterday evening. I promptly showered (I'd been in a car for 21 hours), watched an episode of My So Called Life, then fell asleep. The trip was great, the drive was beautiful, much fun was had. We had a great time at the festival. We saw a ton of bands and met some really cool folks. My favorite of the new bands we discovered was definitely Quitet by Ten. If I had to compare them to anything I would compare them to Havalina Rail Co., which is one of my favorite bands ever.

The last band we saw before we left was MxPx, who I hadn't seen live since Warped Tour at least 8 years ago. I used to see them all the time at the old Soma Live in San Diego when I was in high school. They sounded pretty much the same and put on a really great show. I felt like I was 14 again, especially when Phil, Dave, and I, in a crazed fit of nostalgia, all pushed up to the front of the stage and got in the mosh pit. I was quickly reminded of my advancing years when, during "Punk Rock Show", I got kicked in the face by a stage diver and nearly blacked out. Things like that didn't use to phase me at all. I got my first battle scar in years, a bloody lip, and I wore it proudly as we headed back to the car. It was totally worth it.

'Can't Hardly Wait' Is Back 10 Years Later ... Will Amber Benson Finally Appear? - Cinematical

Now here's the potentially awesome news: After the last disappointing release that didn't have any deleted scenes (although her role was talked about and infamous), the Tenth Anniversary release is including deleted scenes! They better include Benson's stint, or I think Elfont and Kaplan will get accosted with discs flying through the air.

Beyond that, the disc offers both the original commentary and a new one, a 10-year reunion, and some featurettes. The DVD will hit shelves on September 30. Get your pop tarts and get ready!

Yeah, that's right, like I said before, I love this movie. I'm glad they're finally doing it right and we're hopefully going to get to see the material that was cut to get the flick a PG-13 including Amber Benson's scenes. This means we'll also hopefully see more of Jason Segal, who barely appeared in the theatrical version. I'm eagerly looking forward to September now, for sure.

Tonight I'm headed with Phil and his brother Dave up to Camas, Washington (just past Portland). If all goes well we will be there tomorrow afternoon. Should be a good time. I most likely will be without internets until Sunday evening so you'll have to amuse yourselves. Have a good one!

Danny is 28 today. Although we are now separated by a considerable distance I consider him among my best friends. If it wasn't for him this site would have been borked a long time ago. He also helped keep me sane in Missouri after the displacement of the Legion of Doom. Raise your glasses for the real brains behind brendoman.com, Mr. Danny Ferguson.

So awhile ago I bought the new Shout Factory edition of My So Called Life. I had quite a backlog of unwatched DVDs so I just now got around to watching it. I got sucked in again immediately. This time around though I noticed a few things I hadn't before. I always said Jordan Catelano was a jerk but now I've come to realize that Brian Krakow is kind of a jerk too. I honestly don't think either of them deserve Angela. I think I ignored some of Brian's jerk tendencies (constantly badgering Angela, his arrogant attitude in class) simply because I could relate to him in some ways and I always tend to root for the geek. Maybe if the show had continued, Krakow would have grown into a more mature person. Unfortunately he never got that chance.

I'm aware many of you have no idea what I'm talking about. That's cool. I highly recommend giving the DVD a chance. Sorry I don't have anything else to blog about. I went to a party Friday night and then the rest of the weekend did pretty much nothing. My Xbox is still dead, remember?

So as most of you guys know there was an earthquake in the area the other day. My Xbox 360 was a casualty. It fell off the top of my TV and was working fine at first but then I got the dreaded three flashing rings. Thankfully Microsoft extended the warranty coverage for any 360 suffering from the RROD so they will repair it for free. There is a pre-paid shipping box headed my way and all I have to do is put my 360 in it and send it off. I was very impressed with how easy it was to submit a repair request on the Microsoft website. It took a whole 5 minutes, if that. Thankfully I still have the Gamecube to keep me occupied, not to mention I'll be out of town for most of next week. So long 360, you will be missed.

Looks pretty darn sweet.

After many attempts, I finally met Wil Wheaton at Comic-Con. He's one of the reasons this blog exists, a talented actor, and an amazing writer. If you haven't checked out The Happiest Days of Our Lives yet, I highly recommend it. I read the whole thing in two sittings. I also got a copy of his limited edition chapbook, Sunken Treasure, which I'm also almost done with. Thanks again, Wil, for being so nice and chatting it up with me. When I told him who I was he said, "You look exactly like I thought you would!" which made Phil and I chuckle. Even though I didn't get to meet Paul Reubens, meeting Wil certainly made up for that and then some. You can check out the rest of my Comic-Con pics here.

Nickelodeon Puts Backcatalog on iTunes - AppScout

Nickelodeon today announced plans to sell a slew of new shows through Apple's iTunes video store. The children's network is making available a number of Nick Rewind "classics," including Rocko's Modern Life, Rugrats, As Told By Ginger, Hey Dude, Rocket Power, Clarissa Explains It All, and a handful of others.

No Pete and Pete, Salute Your Shorts, or You Can't Do That On Television, but this is definitely a start. I'm happy to see Rocko's Modern Life and Doug on the list as they were my favorite NickToons and of course I'm excited for Hey Dude. Since they only released one season of Clarissa on DVD I'm hoping we'll get more through iTunes. Maybe if they do well they'll even consider re-launching the DVD line and finally releasing the last Pete and Pete season.

Hulu - Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

If you missed the first release window of Joss Whedon's amazing Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog you can now catch it in its entirety on Hulu. They also have individual episodes available. They announced a fourth episode at Comic-Con and a DVD release is on the way.

The success of Dr. Horrible is also significant because Joss made it in response to the writer's strike. This is a great way to show the networks that they aren't as all powerful as they think. Even if you're not a fan of Joss or of musicals, you have to give Joss props for that.

Comic-Con 2008 was pretty epic. While I didn't get to go to as many panels as I had wanted to, I had a ton of fun and I got to meet a bunch of cool folks. If you missed it, the play by play is on my Twitter feed. I'll most likely upload pics tonight but I'll leave you with some highlights:

• The Zack and Miri Make a Porno panel was even better than I thought it would be. Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks were both hilarious. The clip they showed had everyone rolling.
• Kevin's "Scream Like a Girl" panel with Pia Guerra, Lucy Lawless, Jaime King, and Gale Ann Hurd was really great too. Kevin and Lawless going back and forth was priceless, especially when he begged her to tell him who the final Cylon was.
• In what I think was a karma thing for Paul Reubens canceling, which, to be completely honest, was the person I was looking forward to meeting the most, I got to have a five minute conversation with Joss Whedon at the Hyatt on Saturday night. It was unreal.
• Frank Miller was sloshed pretty much all day Friday. His speech at the Eisners was rather amusing but also good.
• Archie from Watchmen looked just as cool up close as it does in the trailer.
• Meeting Wil Wheaton. Finally.
• Meeting and getting my books signed by David Malki, the creator of one of my favorite webcomics.
• Hanging out with Brian Lynch at the Eisners and on Saturday night. The guy is just plain awesome.
• Hanging out with the one and only Eric Wright on Saturday night.

It was a great time. I'm never not going for the full con again.

Iron monger

Originally uploaded by brendoman

At marvel booth
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

My Friday plans are pretty simple. I'm going to get up pretty early, pack up my bags since we're switching hotels that day, take the shuttle to the convention center, check my bags, and camp out in the Hall H line. I'll then spend the rest of my day there.

I've done the Hall H campout once before, back in 2005, and I did it solo. It was no easy task. Thankfully the latest Harry Potter book had just come out so that kept me entertained. This time around I've got a bunch of books, my iPod, my EEE, and my DS. I think I'll be covered. I also have some companions along for the ride. The first panel of the day in Hall H is the Watchmen panel and later in the day Kevin has his two panels. The first one is him with Frank Miller, Zach Snyder, and Judd Apatow while the second is his solo panel about Zack and Miri with "special guests." In recent years the rule of thumb for Hall H is that once you leave, the odds are good that you aren't making it back in. So since Watchmen is the first panel and Kevin's is the last, I'm going to be there all day. Good times.

If anyone wants to hang out or play some DS or something, hit me up here (I'll have the laptop), via e-mail (I'll have my blackberry) or via Twitter, which is also where I'll be posting live updates throughout the Con. I'm coming in to work in the morning tomorrow but I'm off at lunch to catch the train down. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and I'll make it with plenty of time to check in to the hotel before Preview Night starts. Hope you guys all have a fun week here. Don't be afraid to post in my absence.

Thanks to Danny's help, I added Gravatar support to the comments. All you have to do to have your own avatar show up is sign up at Gravatar's site and make sure you use whatever email you used to sign up there to comment here.

It appears that The Dark Knight has taken over the world, having pulled in $158 million for the opening weekend. Dang. In honor of this I made a new poll asking what you think is the best live action Batman movie.

As far as The Dark Knight goes, what is there to say that hasn't been said? I thought it was amazing. For me, it somehow even managed to exceed the insane amount of hype it's been (justly) receiving the past several months. The performances were great. The Joker was absolutely insane. Unlike a lot of people, it seems, I didn't have a problem with Bale's "Batman voice." If you saw the film on a regular screen, do yourself a favor and check it out on IMAX. It's incredible.

For those who are curious, I was pleased to see that the majority of voters enjoyed Indy 4. I'm still surprised at the dogpile that the film has received, especially on the internet. I honestly don't know what people were expecting. Perhaps some things are best left in the past, but I'm still happy we got to see Doctor Jones put on the fedora one more time.

I'm leaving for Comic Con in a day and half. Oh man, I'm pumped.

edit: Per Kyle's suggestion I've added Mask of the Phantasm.

Can't wait to see this trailer on the IMAX screen tomorrow night.

edit: In the time between when I watched the teaser and when I posted the video, it got taken down. If anyone finds a good link, post it in the comments. It will be in front of The Dark Knight though.

edit 2: Film School Rejects has a copy up. Go! Go! Go!

edit 3: Found new version to embed.

mental_floss Blog » The Quick 10: 10 Random Facts About Disneyland

"The Happiest Place on Earth" is 53 today. I'm sure it's no where near as crowded as it was during my first week of working there on the 50th anniversary. As much as I sometimes dislike the place, I love it even more. It's one of the places that I will always have fond memories of, that while it's changed quite a bit in the last 53 years, it still has an element of timelessness to it. There's something special about going there and being able to stand in the same spot in front of the castle that I stood when I was three years old, holding my father's hand and looking in wonder. Maybe I'm just a big sap, but if you've been there more than once, you probably know what I'm talking about.