New Releases for 01/31/12

SECKMANS SELECTIONS

Finally a week with some good releases (especially in Video Games!). It's hard to believe that Final Fantasy XIII-2 is already here! I know I AM excited. I hope it's a good sequel.

Here's a look at some of the things coming out the week of January 31, 2012!

Watch the Throne: Great from 'Ye to Z

Alright, I give. I finally sat down after much balking and put on "Watch the Throne," by Jay-Z and Kanye West. Don't get me wrong, I love Jay-Z, and have from the first track I heard by him. He's got one of those voices like Ice Cube (pissed off N.W.A. Ice Cube, not the Disney movie actor selling you beer) where he's just screaming at you, even at a whisper. He's been around, he's sold drugs, done some shit, but you want to hear about it because of the way he delivers the verses.

To be honest, the reason I stayed away from this one as long as I did is simple: Kanye. I have a love/hate relationship with Kanye. It's the same one I have with Courtney Love-I'll probably enjoy what you give me, I just never, EVER, want you to open your mouth in public. Don't do self-aggrandizing interviews, telling me you're the "greatest of all time," or go to award shows where you're allowed a platform. I don't want to hear you speak. Really, stop tweeting. You're not that important.

Batman #5: Sequential Storytelling at its Best

There is more than one way to tell a story. You could write a short story or a novel. You could adapt it for television or film. You could create a web series. Or, if you have any artistic ability, or know someone who does, you could turn it into a comic book. 

Comics have their own set of advantages as a medium. For starters, from a creative standpoint, a comic is often times the best method to express your artistic vision with the least amount of interference from third parties. While it's true that every book, with the exception of those being self-published, requires approval from an editor, generally the final product is the purest representation of the writer and artist's work. In addition, unlike, for example, television and film, comics allow you to create without having to worry about a budget. You don't have to think, "How much would this cost?" "Can we do this with real actors or will it require CG?" "How long will this take to shoot?" You are limited only by the breadth of your imagination. However the advantage that I consider to be the most important of all is a comic book's ability to make the reader an active participant in the story.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 Extended Trailer

Get your pre-orders ready, cause next week is the release of Final Fantasy XIII-2! I loved FFXIII, despite all the critism from certain fans. I'm really excited about this sequel. I just hope it's better than FFX-2. Great music, but Gaah, that game sucked!

While you wait, check out this 7+ min trailer for the game. Squeee!! ^_^

Peace! ~Matt

Iron Sky

SPACE NAZIS!

Episode 42 - Geeks in Spaaaace

The cast of Beaucoup Pop is back, bringing you everything you need to know about whats going on in the pop culture world...and maybe some things that you didn't need to know, BUT WE GIVE IT TO YOU ANYWAY!!!

This week, the crew aboard the Beaucoup Pop crazy ship, take a plunge into new territory...with their brand new equipment!!!  *CHEERS FROM THE CROWD*

Welcome to Beaucoup Pop Studios!

We also have the fantastic artist Mike Maihack (www.cowshell.com), known for his comic Cleopatra in Space, joining us for an interview.

New Releases for 01/24/12

SECKMANS SELECTIONS

Odd week here...a few good releases, and a few...not so great. But, anyway, here's a look at some of the bigger things coming out the week of January 24, 2012! Shit'll hit the fan next week!! ^_^

MOVIES

50/50 [DVD / Blu-ray]

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Adam, a strait-laced 27-year-old who works in Seattle public radio with his hedonistic best friend, Rogen's Kyle. Back pain brings Adam to an oncologist who diagnoses cancer, prescribes chemotherapy, and recommends counseling, which leads him to Katie, a doctoral student (Anna Kendrick) who makes up in compassion what she lacks in experience. At the hospital, Adam also befriends two cancer patients (Philip Baker Hall and Matt Frewer) who share their foul-mouthed wisdom--along with marijuana-laced macaroons.

Resident Evil: Retribution (RE5) Trailer

The new Resident Evil: Retribution 3D trailer has been released. Check it out!

Yes, yes, put all your slanderous comments below. I'M still excited about!

Peace!



DVD Review: RED

I'm not the biggest fan of action movies. I tend to gravitate towards films that are more dialogue and character driven. I like a movie that tells a great story, keeps me in suspense, and does so without relying so heavily on explosions and special effects. That said, I end up catching most action flicks on DVD as opposed to running out and seeing them in the theater. This was the case with RED.

Episode 41 - Looks Like We Made It

The cast of Beaucoup Pop is back, bringing you everything you need to know about whats going on in the pop culture world...and maybe some things that you didn't need to know, BUT WE GIVE IT TO YOU ANYWAY!!!

You hear that Poppers?...it's the sound of victory!!! Curl up and hunker down for possibly the most random episode we've ever recorded. It's what happens when you're high on joy (and minus Kerry). ^_^

Tressa and Justin hard at work. Bitches gotta earn their keep!!

On this weeks show, we reveal the much anticipated results of our "Save Beaucoup Pop" fundraiser, if you haven't figured it out already. Our turn out this past Saturday was beyond AMAZING!! Tressa, Justin and our friend Brett were drawing their little fingers off all day (Check the show notes below for pics!). If you stopped by and donated, be sure to listen for your name to be read. Justin did some research on everyone, and I think you'll be quite surprised by what he found out. ;-)

Lexington Comic and Toy Convention VIP comic

Justin's cover for the Lexington Comic and Toy Convention VIP comic.

Hollywood Gets it Wrong Again: The Casting of Akira

Anyone who listens to the Beaucoup podcast (and all of you should) knows that we are less than enthused about the Akira film currently in development. One would assume that this movie is right up our alley. Truth be told, I don't think we "need" a live-action version of Katsuhiro Otomo's magnum opus, but if done well, I wouldn't mind seeing it on the big screen. But as is usually the case with properties as beloved as Akira, Hollywood has stepped in and decided to break something that never needed fixing. Now I know what you're thinking. How could we be so opposed to this movie when they haven't even shot one scene? That's a good question. The answer is simple: Casting.

Episode 40 - I Just Spunked My Battleship

The cast of Beaucoup Pop is back, bringing you everything you need to know about whats going on in the pop culture world...and maybe some things that you didn't need to know, BUT WE GIVE IT TO YOU ANYWAY!!!

Do not attempt to adjust your screen...that's really the name of the episode.  You can thank Justin for that hilarious little number (give the show a listen...you see).

Mr. Smiley

We are truly taking 2012 by storm Poppers!!!  This week’s episode is packed full of yummy goodness.  First, we do a small review of Tinker Taylor Solder Spy, where the girls (as usual) swoon about Mark Stong...and his Oscar worthy face.

"Don't..interup...the face!"

New Releases for 01/10/12

SECKMANS SELECTIONS

Here's a look at some of the things coming out the week of January 10, 2012 for Seckman's Selections.

MOVIES

Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire: The Complete First Season [DVD/Blu-ray]
Set in Atlantic City in 1920 at the dawn of Prohibition, the series chronicles the life and times of Enoch Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi), the city treasurer whose double role as politician and bootlegger makes him the city's undisputed czar at a time when illegal alcohol has opened up highly lucrative opportunities for rumrunners and distributors.

Moneyball [DVD/Blu-ray]
The story of Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.

Review: Batman - The Black Mirror HC

Batman: The Black Mirror

Back in September, DC relaunched their entire superhero line and flooded the market with 52 all new #1 issues. Origins were updated, characters became younger, costumes were tweaked. You name it, it changed. As with any big announcement in the comic book industry, DC's relaunch was met with equal parts excitement and frustration.

I was really excited about the relaunch, and four months in that hasn't changed. I thought it was a bold move on DC's part, a company not known for its willingness to change and stray from tradition. Although there was tons to be excited about, there was one drawback to the announcement. New books were coming out, but that meant a lot of really great titles were getting cancelled. In the four months between the relaunch announcement and the first wave of new issues that debuted in September, dozens of books were forced to wrap up their ongoing storylines in a short amount of time.

Episode 39 - Ring in the New Year!

The cast of Beaucoup Pop is back, bringing you everything you need to know about whats going on in the pop culture world...and maybe some things that you didn't need to know, BUT WE GIVE IT TO YOU ANYWAY!!!

Welcome back Poppers!  Hope you have a fantastic holiday and you're ready to plow into the new year...the Last Year...THE END OF THE WORLD!! We do some much needed catching up (Matt is back after a month of being absent) and we talk about our New Year's resolutions...er...2012 Goals.  Could starting a llama farm be one of them? You'll need to listen to find out.

We also talk a little more in detail about the current "Uh Oh!" situation the Beaucoup Pop gang are in. You've probably seen our prior "Help Save Beaucoup Pop" post, that the four of us are in a bit of a pickle. As of right now, at the end of January, we are losing access to our recording equipment. In order for Beaucoup Pop to carry on we need to raise quite a bit of money to replace what we are going to lose. The BCP team plans to contribute what we can, but need help from our AMAZING listeners!! We enjoy bringing you, the listener, your weekly doses of geekery and we want that to continue. Please give what you can to help our show.

New Releases for 01/03/12

SECKMANS SELECTIONS

Welcome to the first Seckman's Selections for 2012!! Hopefully you got TONS of money for the Holidays and now it's burning a hole in your pocket. Or perhaps you got a ton of shit and clothes that you're planing to take back and exchange for somethine AWESOME. Well, I got just the thing for you. Here's a look at some of the things coming out the week of January 03, 2012!

MOVIES / TV

Contagion [DVD/Blu-ray]

Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne and Bryan Cranston, along with medical journalist Sanjay Gupta, explore the real science of global viruses and what they mean to the human race. The world is preparing for the next biological disaster...but is it too late?

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark [DVD/Blu-ray]

Sally, a young girl, moves to Rhode Island to live with her father and his new girlfriend in the 19th-century mansion they are restoring. While exploring the house, Sally starts to hear voices coming from creatures in the basement whose hidden agenda is to claim her as one of their own.

The Guard [DVD/Blu-ray] - with Mark Strong

Movie Review: The Adventures fo Tintin

I have almost no experience with the character of Tintin. My only introduction to Tintin and his exploits came about through the HBO animated series that debuted back in 1991. I mention this for one reason. Without fail, every time I read an article about this movie I'd stumble across a handful of comments asking if someone would be able to enjoy the movie having never read the comics or watched the series. The answer to this question is a resounding yes.

Artist of the Month: Sara Richard

Sara Richard is a graduate from The Columbus College of Art & Design.  Ever since she left he temp position at Hasbro she's been developing a style that incorporated her love of Art Nouveau and wildlife (mostly the extinct kind).