Foreign Entertainment

Let the games begin
I've had to wait for a while before I could watch this one. But it was well worth it. The movie in question is Icelandic comedy called Astropia (I refuse to call it Dorks and Damsels, which sounds way too silly). With its references to comic books, sci-fi classics and RPG gaming sessions, this book is a geek's dream come true.

The story revolves around a somewhat ditzy model called Hildur. Maybe calling her ditzy is a bit harsh but ... she has made some bad decisions regarding her life. For one thing she is dating this sleazy car salesman who is in trouble with authorities for money issues. Well, once he ends up in jail, she has to bunk in with friends and figure out what to do with her life. Now, she needs a job. Read more

Super Conan
A friend pointed out this Chinese animated news story about the whole Conan/Leno kerfuffle. Can I just say that this was one of the best summaries of the event I have seen so far, not to mention really entertaining? Looks like they add animated updates about a number of news events, most of which, I must admit, are local news presented in Chinese.

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Grr, who ate the boss' lunch?
You know what's interesting about anime and manga that detail diabolical plans for world domination and what not? Lovable henchmen, that's what. Show me a story that has an evil genius hellbent on taking over the world and, more often than not, he will have a charismatic minion who distracts most of us from the rest of the story. Or worse, have us rooting for him throughout the tale. Of course, creating likable henchman is not an easy task; many have epic fails when overtaking such a venture. Well, let's check out those that make it to this list.

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She's having a bit too much fun?
Can I just say this now … I hope never to see anyone try this in a public place. So far I have been lucky, unlike this poor bloke. Yea, if I were him in that situation, I would be traumatized too.

The topic in question is a saddle-like exercise gear. You know, you get this machine which has a saddle that moves (shakes? Gyrates? Grinds?) under you. As if that was not bad enough, turns out, you can set it to different speeds. Ooooh, this is just as bad as that jerky-hand-motion dumbell!
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I was looking for a hilarious Dutch TV ad about Commando, that over-the-top Arnold Schwarzenegger flick, when I came across these Japander ads. In case you were wondering, Japander refers to instances when well-known Hollywood folk take part in a Japanese ad, you know, for a lot of money and all that. Some of them are merely cute while others are really bad. Bad in a 'I can't believe they did this' way.

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If you like TV shows revolving around quirky female characters (think Ally McBeal and Samantha Who), Floor Faber will certainly interest you. The show itself is a Dutch production which was broadcast at the end of 2009. It was well received and hopefully this means that the DVDs sets will be available in other languages.

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click to see video

The Internet has skewed some of our cultural perspectives, especially thanks to its tendency to foster irony and kitsch well into realms of absurdity. This includes exchanges of bizarre pop entities from foreign nations in such high volumes that they lose a lot of what makes them strange. Take, for instance, the recent development of American perceptions of Japanese culture. At its worst, ironic Japanophilia results in a series of blunt punchlines about anime, vending machines and the inability to differentiate R sounds from L sounds. Of course the whole of modern Japanese culture isn't as broad and simple as that, but the cacophony of the Internet makes us forget that sometimes. So, when an odd bit of pop detritus like "We Are Ninja", the novelty electronic dance hit produced by avant-pop group Frank Chickens in 1984, hits our screens we're quick to dismiss it as just another crazy video from the Far East. Given its time, place and creators, I'd like to argue that "We Are Ninja" is anything but.

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Flight of the Conchords

Now Flight of the Concords, they need no introduction. They are pretty famous all over the world or at least have quite a decent fan following in many parts. When they started out in New Zealand, Flight of the Concords consisted of two comedians/musicians - Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. While they have a flair for coming up with songs containing quirky lyrics, it's the way they put together their acts that really catch our attention. This usually meant that the good folks would be pay tribute to pop culture whilst creating a song that made a social situation rather awkward. Or at least, highlighted how weird our daily lives where by penning a song about a seemingly mundane act. Think of the Pet Shop boy tribute in Inner City Pressure.

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I came across a number of Belgian short films recently. Normally, I wouldn't be drawn to films that queued up in the arty flick category but you can't help but love these ones. Ranging from bittersweet to somewhat scary, these short films (kort films if you will) are definitely worth checking out.   Read more

Paradox

If you like science fiction shows with a bit of action and plenty of suspense, do check out Paradox. This is a brand new British show that mixes in plenty of police drama/action with scifi elements. These latter bits are actually toned down, possibly being built up for a big revelation towards the end of the show/season.

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