Geek Chic

William Shatner interpreting Sarah Palin’s incomprehensible farewell address as a beat poem on The Tonight Show:

So Kevin Spacey was on Letterman last night, and during part of his interview tried to explain Twitter to Dave. No luck:

The same thing happens when my parents try to explain the Internet or Cell Phones to my grandparents.  Smiles and nods, but no real comprehension.

Oh Dave.  You’re so cute when you’re old and grumpy.

IFC has collected what they call the 50 Greatest Trailers of All Time.  If nothing else, it’s a great way to waste some time on a Friday.  I didn’t even know some of these trailers existed.

I don’t know that I agree with them, certainly (Pulp Fiction should be way higher on that list, and it’s surprising to see that none of  Danny Boyle’s films are on there.  Nor is Forest Gump).  But is that what all Top ## lists are for?  To start a conversation?

This is one of my favorite movies. And yes, they cut an excellent trailer for it:

What’s clear in looking at the list and watching a few of the trailers is that there is a real art to making a good trailer.  If you know what you’re doing, in just two minutes you can really tease your audience into wanting to see your entire two hour film.

On a related matter, if you haven’t seen them yet there are some excellent (and hilarious) re-cuttings of trailers floating around on the internet that make the film look like it belongs in a completely different genre.  My favorites are The Shining cut to look like a romantic comedy, Garden State as a suspense thriller and Brokeback to the Future.

Thanks VSL

Snowmobiles AND zombies??  Nazi zombies?!?  Count me in!

This was apparently a big hit at Sundance this year — a Swedish zombie move with a sense of humor.  Looks pretty greusome, but the concept sounds hilarious.

Thanks VSL

This is from Johnny Depp’s list of Top 6 YouTube Videos (from his Vanity Fair interview, and digitized by Vulture).  I have to say the first video on the list is one of the most disturbing videos I’ve seen online.  Not because it’s particularly graphic or gruesome or anything like that.  But precisely because there is no explanation as to why this man (Paris’ Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore owner George Whitman) is cutting his hair by lighting it on fire.

What!?!?!

Incidentally, Depp’s list is — as you might expect — very warped.  But he’s got some pretty choice YouTube highlights (including a VERY VERY HIGH James Brown on CNN).  Check out the digitized rendering of his Top 6 on Vulture.

Ours can:

Thanks, White House, for declassifying this sensitive historical document.

[Dammit.  Even the White House is on Twitter.  I think I might lose this one.]

I just saw this on my ride up the elevator:

Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry has signed an official order making the song Do You Realize by The Flaming Lips as the state’s official rock song.

“The Flaming Lips are great ambassadors for the state of Oklahoma, all over the world, and they are fiercely loyal to the great state of Oklahoma,” Henry said before signing the order.

First off, thanks USAToday for making my elevator ride more entertaining.

Second, dibs on Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues for New York.  Or really any state.