An attempt at a new layout, with horrible glitches, and very minimal knowledge of HTML.
Cinema, television, literature, and music–basically anything that can be reviewed. If you're interested in writing reviews, e-mail us at dacouchtomato@gmail.com. We won't pay you for reviews, but you get to practise your writing skills. It's a win-win situation for everyone.
Okay, BBC. You've hit a gold mine with your modernisation of Sherlock Holmes, thanks to Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. But this, what is this? A Sherlock special set in Victorian London? Martin Freeman with a handlebar moustache? Horse-drawn carriages on cobblestone streets? And Benedict Cumberbatch wearing a deerstalker in its proper context?
Sorry, but even though this post involves kids, we will not be using the word "adorbz" here.
Even though it's been some time since Pharrell Williams ditched his "Happy" hat and traded it in for this "Freedom" hat, Pharrell's new book has only recently come out. Entitled "Happy", it's a picture book inspired by his song of the same title and is about, well, being happy. But the best thing about the release of this book is probably the press conference he had with a bunch of British kids, which you can see in the video below.
There are few songs which I consider genuine earworm. "Blurred Lines" is one. I tend to listen to earworms over and over, for days─even weeks─on end.
I believe that if the Unrated video wasn't taken down by YouTube (due to nudity), this might've surpassed "Gangnam Style" as the most viewed video ever.
"Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars is my current favorite song. For seven straight days, I've listened to nothing else. I've had it on repeat on my music player. It basically sounds like an Andy Summers guitar riff, a Sting bass line, and a simple Stewart Copeland drumbeat if he ever ventured into the wonderful world of electronica. The damn song is so catchy that I couldn't get it out of my head. The only way to get rid of it is to saturate myself with this earworm until it dies a natural death.
Listening to DJ Earworm's annual mash-up has become a tradition since 2009. Without further ado, here is the product of a whole year's worth of pop music.
I'm pretty sure that was Andrew Garfield in one of the shots. Now what in heaven's name is he doing there?
Trust Pixar to push the envelope once more, by coming out with a film set in Scotland, and using actual Scottish voice actors (except for Emma Thompson, who is still technically from the U.K.), and using actual (not so thick) Scottish accents.
You should love this movie if you're a fan of animation, action, and adventure, or if you're a fan of red-headed Scottish women.
Okay, I've been waiting for this video since the day after Christmas. And as of this writing, this video has more than two million hits. Less than two days after it was posted. Good job, DJ Earworm.
I don't know what DJ Earworm looks like. So here's a real earworm instead.
Personally, I liked last year's mash-up more than this one. But some prefer this one. A lot of YouTube commenters, however, agree with me. (Spell-check says "commenters" is not a word, nor is "commentors". What do you call people who comment, then? Definitely not "commentators".)
Some commentors (commenters, commentors, whatever) however have come to DJ Earworm's defense, citing that the 2010 mash-up sucked compared to the 2009 mash-up because this year's songs sucked compared to last year's. DJ Earworm poured his time and effort to create something that would mash all of this year's sucky songs together, and he did a pretty decent job. So everyone, just sit back, enjoy the video, and accept the fact that Autotune has conquered the first year of the new decade.
Another victory from robots in disguise set to conquer Earth.
Okay, this post is slightly delayed, but only because I was waiting for 20th Century Fox to leave YouTube alone.
Anyway, artiste extraordinaire Banksy takes his artwork a notch higher, as he was invited by Fox to direct the intro for the 10.10.10 episode of The Simpsons. Might seem like a sell-out move. But it isn't. Watch the video.
Now ladies and gentlemen, Banksy has just demonstrated how to sell out without really selling out. If you know what I mean.
0:47 ─ What Jamie Foxx said: "Reach deep into your hearts." What Jamie Foxx really meant: "Reach deep into your pockets."
1:30 ─ Most people don't like the fact that Justin Bieber opened the song. I don't mind, actually. Lionel Richie gave him the go-signal. And Lionel Richie co-wrote this song with Michael Jackson. So what's good enough for Lionel is good enough for me.
1:46 ─ Who the hell are you?
1:52 ─ Josh Groban enters. Wow, you're good.
2:22 ─ Okay, nice move by including Michael Jackson in the original.
2:27 ─ Okay, not-so-nice move by inserting Janet Jackson there. I mean, they could've at least matched the video quality. You can tell that MJ was shot in analog, while Janet was shot in HD. Boo.
2:34 ─ Barbra Streisand, you're old enough to be in the eighties version. All those who are old enough to be in the original video, please exit the studio. That goes for you, Tony Bennet at 2:04.
2:49 ─ Miley Cyrus? What the...
3:15 ─ Okay, Wyclef, I know you're a talented musician and all, and that you're Haitian. But honestly, I didn't like the screaming. Maybe in another song. Not here.
3:21 ─ Okay, vocalist from Maroon 5. I still don't like your voice.
3:28 ─ I like you, Pink.
3:41 ─ MJ again. Nice work.
3:51 ─ Hello, Celine Dion. I like what you did with Cindy Lauper's part. I also like Lionel Richie hanging around while you belt out your lines.
3:59 ─ Is that Michael Jackson's guitarist from This is It?
4:02 ─ What the hell is that shot?? A door? This is supposed to be directed by Academy Award-winning director Paul Haggis. But really, the door seems off. It makes it look like a home video. Another fail, after that Michael and Janet superimposition at 2:27.
4:10 ─ Nicole Scherzinger, you are the sexiest female in this video. Let me just wipe off my drool.
4:22 ─ Randy Jackson from American Idol?!
4:28 ─ Is that you, Toni Braxton? You look so...butch.
4:47, 5:12, and 5:27 ─ Li'l Wayne, Akon, and T-Pain, you've just demonstrated the different levels of using Auto-Tune. From bad, to worse, to please stop.
5:28 ─ Is that like a Haitian jeepney?
5:39 ─ First I thought that was Ray Charles.
5:45 ─ Vince Vaughn?! Come on!
5:47 ─ It wasn't Ray Charles. It was Jamie Foxx. Nice work.
5:51 ─ The rap part. I'm still undecided if it's good or bad. Anyway, it was dominated by LL Cool J, Xzibit, and Will. I. Am.
6:57 ─ Because Kanye West is good, he gets a solo.
7:02 ─ Wyclef, I thought I told you to stop with the screaming?
7:48 ─ Okay, just found out that Wyclef was one of the producers of this song. Fine, do what you want.
This is one of my all-time favorite songs, and I love singing this on videoke. The eighties version, that is. This one is not as good, though.
Original rating: Ten stars (because the eighties version is pure heart).
Use of Michael Jackson's original parts: Plus two stars.
Director Paul Haggis's superimposition of Janet Jackson and the door shot: Minus two stars.
Use of singers old enough to be in the eighties version: Minus two stars.
Excessive use of Auto-Tune: Minus two stars.
Jamie Foxx's impersonation of Ray Charles: Plus one star.
Rap part: One...no, wait...half a star.
Wyclef's screaming: Minus two stars.
Wyclef's Haitian roots and producer status: Plus two stars.
I've played The Beatles: Rock Band months before, but I've never seen the intro. I only saw it last weekend when I played it at my friend The Jujuman's house. His was the Nintendo Wii version though. The version I played earlier was the PlayStation 3 version. I've already sensed some slight differences, although I'd like to try to play the XBox 360 version first before I write a comparison.
Anyway, the first time I saw it, I was like, blown away. I don't have to explain why. Just watch the video.
My friend said, "The guy who did that's a famous animator." Using my cinematic eye, honed by years and years of viewing, I asked, "Is this the same animator who did The Gorillaz?"
He answered, "No, I don't think so. Probably not."
So I said, "Well, maybe they just used the same software."
And true enough, I googled it, and I found out that this video was indeed done by Pete Candeland, the same one who did The Gorillaz. I love being right. My cinematic eye has never failed me. Yet.
If you don't like Coldplay, then maybe you'll like the video.
For the extremely funny video, you've got to give credit where credit is due. So to the video team (which may or may not include the band members), let me just say that I loved the video. Immensely.
The riotous Seth Rogen and James Franco team up in this comedy sketch directed by Judd "The Comedy Factory" Apatow. That's three minutes and eleven seconds of Oscar gold.
"Orlando Bloom's dad in Pirates of the Caribbean..."
