Alex Hanson Yesterday it was reported President Obama has begun closed-doors discussions with political donors, suggesting that it’s time to acknowledge the severe mathematical improbability of Senator Bernie Sanders securing the Democratic nomination for President. This is upsetting to many of the Senator’s supporters (who will make the trek north of the Columbia when he […]
Bobby Roberts
Bobby Roberts is one of the Portland Mercury's calendar editors, as well as one of its film and pop-culture critics. His past career choices included joining corporate broadcast radio just in time for its death, and leaving the world of independent podcasting just before it blew up, but luckily for him there is nothing more stable in the 21st century than a career in alternative print media.
Posted inMedia
Everything the Oregonian Thought They Knew About What You Thought You Knew About Baby Carrots Being Wrong is Wrong
This morning, Oregonian food writer Molly Harbarger dropped an orange howitzer shell on your frontal lobe with an amazing expose that rips the lid off conventional wisdom surrounding carrots and their strange, inscrutable life cycle, in an article entitled Everything You Thought You Knew About Baby Carrots Is Wrong. An excerpt: Baby carrots are not […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Movie Review: Can J.J. Abrams Do Justice to Star Wars?
STAR WARS This movie is a new hope! Ha! Get it? Because… sorry. Never mind. J.J. Abrams owes his career to Steven Spielberg, with each of his films chasing that sense of awe and wonderment Spielberg consistently evoked in the ’80s. Abrams’ own films (franchise rehab attempts, mostly, like Star Trek and Mission: Impossible) have […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Star Wars Is for Everyone
Want to Enjoy The Force Awakens? It’s Easy.
Want to enjoy The Force Awakens? It’s easy.
Posted inMovies & TV
REVIEW: The Force Awakens Is a Damn Good Star Wars Mixtape
There’s Not Much New Here. But It Sure Is Fun.
There’s not much new here. But it sure is fun.
Posted inGeek
Why I’m Done With “Geek Culture”
Almost five years ago, comedian Patton Oswalt wrote an article for Wired called “Wake Up, Geek Culture, Time to Die.” It was equal parts eulogy for the romanticized nerd he once was, and a lament for the shape of nerdery to come. At the time, I took issue with the idea that the mainstreaming of […]
Posted inMovies & TV
EXCLUSIVE: Rejected Titles for Man of Steel Sequel Where Batman Gets Top Billing
Warner Brothers released this image announcing the title of their Man of Steel Sequel Justice League prequel. Yup. A team-up that for over sixty years has been known as “World’s Finest” is going to be called Batman Five Superman Colon Dawn of Justice, which is kind of clunky, but then again, people don’t go to […]
Posted inTV
This is How You Sell a Damn TV Show
I love NBC’s Hannibal. And like most shows I’ve loved in the past 15 years, it is stashed at the ass end of a network schedule to wither and die, and I, along with rest of the fanbase, spend as much time worrying about the ratings as we do the lives of the characters. But […]
Posted inComic Books
Can’t Read Comics With Netflix: Amazon Buys ComiXology
It was already described by some as Kindle for comics. Now it’s pretty much exactly that: Amazon has acquired digital comics platform ComiXology. The name (with that goofy capital X) will remain the same, as explained in this letter (with its own goofy faux-typesetting) from co-founder and CEO David Steinberger. I’m sure somewhere someone is […]
Posted inGeneral
How to Improve Your Dragons
Daenerys’ Dragons Are Lame. Let’s Fix That.
Daenerys’ dragons are lame. Let’s fix that.
Posted inMedia
Exiting Stage Left: This American Life. Entering Stage Right: Live Wire! Radio
I present to you a dramatic recreation of events from two weeks ago, when Ira Glass decided to cease distributing This American Life via Public Radio International. Playing the role of Mr. Glass will be Alan Rickman, and playing the role of Public Radio International will be a table containing a cup of tea and […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Of Course They’re Gonna Recast Indiana Jones. They’d Be Stupid Not To.
Latino Review sparked the discussion today with their latest scoop, claiming production on Indiana Jones 5 has a set date, and if Harrison Ford can’t put down the bong long enough to amble grumble on over to Disney and sign up before that date, Disney will move forward with plans to cast someone else. Which […]