New concept art from the abandoned Akira live-action adaptation
Akira is arguably the most influential anime film ever. When it was released in the States in the late 80s, it opened the door for domestic anime releases. Without Akira, anime wouldn't be as popular in the States (or even really exist in such a widespread capacity), as it showed American audiences an alternative to the Disney animation style. Akira's influence has spread throughout all reaches of pop culture, from clothing to even hip hop (as illustrated in Kanye West's "Stronger" video).
However, since Akira's release, Hollywood has struggled to make a live-action adaptation of the film. A plethora of big names were mentioned for Akira at different points, including Keanu Reeves, Robert Pattinson, Justin Timberlake, Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Kristen Stewart, Keira Knightley, and Mila Kunis. Given the gravity of the anime and the difficulty to do it justice (let alone the technology and budget to properly do it), the project has been scrapped numerous times.
Luckily, concept art has been released to give a glimpse into the stylistic approach that could have been used. A lot of proposed liberties were taken with the script, including changing the setting from Neo-Tokyo to Neo-Manhattan, which would have been occupied and run by Japan. Based off of these concept shots, the live-action Akira film would have kept the spirit of the anime alive. Will we ever get to see it? Probably not, but at least the artists were on the right track.
[via Crunchyroll]
[Trailer] Elysium
http://youtu.be/QILNSgou5BY
When District 9 was released in 2009, it caught a lot of people's attention. Finally, the sci-fi genre had found a new type of film for the genre that wasn't bogged down by an emphasis on special effects or a hard sci-fi slant that wouldn't appeal to broader audiences. Beyond that, writer/director Neill Blomkamp explored social themes within the film, using the separation of aliens and humans as a metaphor for segregation and xenophobia. This isn't anything new in science fiction, as sci-fi writers have always used aliens as an analogue for social relations. However, as I alluded to earlier, the sci-fi film genre has moved away from exploring such issues, instead focusing more on special effects and character design.
Elysium, Blomkamp's new film, follows similar themes found in District 9. In a future where Earth has been ravaged, a space habitat, the titular Elysium, exists as a mecca for the wealthy where disease, hunger, poverty, and crime cease to exist. Of course, the inhabitants of Elysium look down upon the poor living on Earth, refusing to grant immigration rights to those desperate to relocate. When Max (Matt Damon) is left in critical condition following a work accident, he's outfitted with an exoskeleton that will help get him to Elysium and, hopefully, topple the utopia's regime.
While the conflict between the wealthy and the poor isn't anything new (especially when compared to the recently-released trailer for Snowpiercer), Blomkamp isn't one to sacrifice action and sci-fi elements when discussing such issues; like what District 9 did, Elysium should be able to properly balance action with deeper themes. I mean, come on, Matt Damon has a robotic exoskeleton, and that's pretty badass in and of itself.
[Video] Spring Awakening 2013 Site Build
Spring Awakening begins tomorrow. Do you guys have your glowsticks ready? One of Chicago's largest EDM festivals is set to greet the weekend early tomorrow afternoon, but before you groove to some beats, one final behind-the-scenes look has been released. The video shows the last-minute construction of the stages at Soldier Field that'll hold all of your favorite DJs and EDM groups from Krewella to PHNM to Moby and much, much more.
If you plan on attending, make sure you have your schedule prepared. I'll be there all weekend taking photos of the event and doing everything I can to not unleash my sexy dance on everybody. Tickets are still on sale for the procrastinators, so make sure you get yourself a pass if you want to shake your booty this weekend.
http://youtu.be/CUNBSek0AIg
Harmony Korine is "sizzurping" Spring Breakers on DVD, Blu-Ray
Spring Breakers has to be one of the most divisive films of the year. While I personally liked the film's themes when I saw it at SXSW a few months ago, most audiences didn't appreciate director Harmony Korine's (Kids) attempt at capturing the hazy party atmosphere of a Florida-set spring break. Perhaps caving into the audience reception of the film, Korine is editing the film for its home media release, referring to the process as both "sizzurped" and "chopped and screwed." They're outdated terms that kind of illustrate how out of touch Korine can be, but I guess the descriptions help fit what he's attempting to do.
What isn't known is whether or not the film on DVD and Blu-Ray will be completely re-edited, or if it'll exist concurrently with the film's original cut, much like various Director's/Extended/Unrated Cuts found on other home media releases. I'd assume that the "sizzurped" version of Spring Breakers will be an addition, but you can never be too sure with Korine. I guess we'll just find out on July 9th when Spring Breakers finds its way into our homes.
[via Complex]
Arnold Schwarzenegger will be back for Terminator 5
When Arnold Schwarzenegger famously said, "I'll be back," who would have known he'd return to the Terminator franchise 30 years after he uttered those words? The former Governator has recently confirmed he'll be portraying a Terminator in the upcoming Terminator 5 sequel. This might break the film's canon, given Schwarzenegger's age and the believability for Skynet to even create old Terminators. But hey, that's for the nerd writers to figure out, right?
In all seriousness, Schwarzenegger's return to the franchise that helped establish his popularity will be both a great PR casting for the film, but also help the former bodybuilder's return to Hollywood. A few years ago, Fast & Furious 6 director Justin Lin was set to direct, but he pulled out to finish his last film in the Fast & Furious franchise. However, Lin could theoretically return, which would be even better news for the film's potential. It'll also be interesting to see if Schwarzenegger still has the chops to be a Terminator, given his age. However, with a lot of time left before production even begins, Schwarzenegger will have a lot of time to get in the chopper.
[via Collider]
Facebook bites Twitter's style, plans to implement hashtags
What bugs me more than anything is seeing people using hashtags on Facebook. For those who don't know, hashtag links, most commonly and visibly utilized on Twitter, are a series of metadata tags that grouped together common tweets, posts, etc. Again, for the non-tweeters out there, somebody could write a tweet about the Blackhawks, then add a "#Blackhawks" tag, which is then grouped together with all other tweets that also incorporate "#Blackhawks. The problem with hashtags is that Facebook doesn't incorporate them in their system, so when non-privy people post their statuses with stupid hashtags, they don't really lead to anything, thus making that user look like an idiot.
That's all set to change over the coming weeks, as Facebook is doing their part to not only ensure such users will stop looking technologically uneducated, but also help them keep up in a social media expanse that's constantly growing and evolving. Much like MySpace's new attempt at revolutionizing itself, Facebook has taken one huge step in ensuring they don't get left in the dust. The implementation of Facebook hashtags will also help artists and businesses alike as they finally have access at grouping together their content for individuals with common interests, allowing them to grow their social media presence on Facebook the same way they would on Twitter. Some users have access to functioning hashtags, while others will be included in the updates as Facebook begins their roll-out of wave updates through the next few weeks.
Welcome to #2009, Facebook.
[via Facebook Newsroom]
Stadium Status: "Special" (feat. ShowYouSuck and Chris LeSage) (prod. by ElSchmitty)
The team at GoWhere Hip Hop just premiered a hot summer track by Stadium Status, "Special," with features by our homies ShowYouSuck and Chris LeSage with production by ElSchmitty. "Special" keeps it real with the ladies as they let these anonymous girls know that, sometimes, they're not as special as they may think they are. It's cool, we're not trying to dance with you, anyways; it doesn't matter that we don't know how to dance. Sidenote: Major props to Ant for that cover art!
If you're feeling Chris LeSage's super smooth R&B voice, make sure you catch him tomorrow at Underground Lounge! He'll be sharing the stage with Freya's Revenge, Okapi, and some of my personal best friends, Run and Punch, followed by a special Burlesque fundraiser! You can find information on the show here.
[via GoWhereHipHop]