Thanks Netflix. Thanks to your streaming selection that resembles the non-new release section of a ’90s Blockbuster, “Jem” is now available for late-night guilty pleasure viewing.

That being said, I have come to the conclusion that the Misfits are the better band.

Hear me out.

Anyone who has ever seen “Jem” knows that much of the show’s conflict derives from the clash between the two bands. In terms of great musical feuds, the Misfits vs. the Holograms rivalry was up there with the real-world brawls of Neil Young vs. Lynyrd Skynyrd, or Flaming Lips vs. the Arcade Fire. But unlike their real-world counterparts, they spend a majority of their time singing about their next move rather than bad-mouthing each other to the press. And this where the Holograms fail miserably.

While Jem and her rag-tag team of goody two-shoes spend their time singing songs about the importance of believing in yourself, finding true love and inner beauty, all of the Misfits songs are about fucking up Jem.

That’s pretty punk rock.

And honestly, what would you rather do: Help Jerrica put on a fundraiser for orphans, or trash a mall with Pizzazz on minibikes?

There is nothing like watching personal heroes beat the verbal crap out of each other like a couple of old timey Punch and Judy puppets. (Anyone? Anyone get that reference? Think “Time Bandits.”) It’s even better when, during the course of the fight, they sink down to levels only seen in “Yo Mama” skits from “In Living Color.”

In honor of Ridley Scott‘s return to the ALIEN universe he created (side note: my excitement at Prometheus really cannot be accurately measured) today’s post is a look back at that first iconic film from the points of view of the crew who worked on it. What you’ll see above is not your usual polished and prepped “Behind-The-Scenes” piece, but hundreds of individually collected bits of raw footage shot on the set of ALIEN in 1978 and 1979.

Some of it was apparently shot on video, some on 8mm – some bits even look to have come directly from unused film footage. Given that most of it was shot for personal use though, very little of this footage has actually been seen before; and it provides a very intimate and unique approachability to a film many of us have seen dozens of times before.

Sometimes, my mom attempts to channel her creative side and comes up with new and exciting ways to focus her energy into money making endeavors, God bless her.

“I’m going to open a bed & breakfast.”

“I’m going start a dog walking business.”

“I’m going to open a beauty salon.”

After watching this video, I now know it is important to knock her down swiftly and with as much venom as possible. If I don’t break her spirit and reinforce the notion that she can never, ever accomplish anything she puts her mind to, she might end up singing in an abandoned classroom with a few of my cousins.


Created by the popular (and immensely talented) digital director FreddieW, VGHS started as a kickstarter campaign where Freddie asked fans and video game enthusiasts to pitch in $75,000 so that he could make this series. Supporters blew Freddie’s modest goal out of the water and helped him raise over a quarter million dollars.

I mean why wouldn’t you want to pitch in some money to watch your favorite YouTuber make a series that sounds awesome? It’s about a school where students live video games (insert drama here)! VGHS is also jam packed with cameos from online and TV celebrities including Harley from Epic Meal Time, Zackery Levi from Chuck, and iJustine).

So tune in for VGHS’s first run on RocketJump. It’s also being released to Freddie’s channel on YouTube on a week delay. The pilot (above) sets the stage for the series. Episode two is expected to release this afternoon.

It’s hard to pick just one quote from this speech to demonstrate just how awesome it is, but as with many things Sorkin, the whole is even greater than the sum of its already awesome individual parts. And oh, what parts those are…

Sorkin touches on life, parenthood, his decade of cocaine addiction, the delicate passage of time, perception, and just how overwhelmingly dumb each and every one of those graduates are. Most importantly, he does it with his (patent pending) style of humor, grace, and humanity in the face of the overwhelming. These kids were lucky to be there, but we’re all just as lucky that Syracuse decided to tape and release this address because it’s – Sorkin fan or not – a word of damned genius.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 270 other followers