Pop Culture Roundup 18 / The Superslice

It’s Pop Culture Roundup 18, we’re legal now.

We will relentlessly keep promoting Prometheus until it comes out and we have fully digested the sci-fi splendor that it will be. The first online clip is at the header; it’s of the gorgeous Prometheus ship landing on “the planet”. Also, below is an eerie Project Prometheus viral video with Noomi Rapace who plays Elizabeth Shaw in the film. In front of the quiet, unblinking eye of a camera lens, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw makes her case to lead a mission that will answer our greatest questions and trigger our ultimate fears.

Here’s a questionable poster that reveals a big spoiler for the movie. I think this might be a huge mistake in marketing. Click the thumbnail below if you don’t care, but you’ve been warned:

New posters of some of the equipment from the film:

A couple of days ago, Sony released a 4-minute extended preview of The Amazing Spider-Man. There’s also a featurette. Check them out below.

With the hoopla and hype surrounding The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, and Prometheus, looks like Spider-Man and the G.I. Joe sequel might be some decent sleepers as far as blockbusters go. They look promising. Speaking of Joe, remember the Cobra Hiss Tank? Well, here’s the movie version:

A couple of Avengers nuggets. Eclectic Method with The Avengers Remix.

A great mashup of The Avengers hysterically comical shawarma scene and Edward Hopper‘s Nighthawks by John P. Glynn and Adal Rifai.

One of my favorite comic book artists Phil Noto was in Toronto on Free Comic Day (May 5) and using SketchBook Pro (5.5) on a Mac Mini and a Wacom Cintiq 24, the master artist created this live sketch for his fans after watching The Avengers film the night before. The “sketch” was developed in about 3 1/2 hours. Eternally impressive.

A marvelous cartoon depiction of the superheroes squad on a bad day by Junaid Chundrigar from the Netherlands:

A fun piece by Glen Brogan from the Avengers Assemble art show at Gallery 1988:

Some teaser posters for two upcoming films, Anchorman 2 in 2014 and Skyfall, the next James Bond film which comes Fall 2012.

Here’s a pair of intriguing and entertaining documentaries.

Kumare is a wise guru from the East who indoctrinated a group of followers in the West. Kumare, however, is not real–he is the alter ego of American filmmaker Vikram Gandhi, who impersonated a spiritual leader for the sake of a social experiment designed to challenge one of the most widely accepted taboos: that only a tiny “1%” can connect the rest of the world to a higher power. Concealing his true identity from everyone he meets, Kumare forges profound and spiritual connections with people from all walks of life. At the same time, in the absurdity of living as an entirely different person, Vikram, the filmmaker, is forced to confront difficult questions about his own identity. At the height of his popularity, Kumare unveils his true identity to a core group of disciples who are knee-deep in personal transformation. Will they accept his final teaching? Can this illusion reveal a greater spiritual truth? KUMARE, at once playful and profound, is an insightful look at faith and belief.

DOIN’ IT IN THE PARK: PICK-UP BASKETBALL, NYC explores the definition, history, culture and social impact of New York’s summer b-ball scene, widely recognized as the worldwide “Mecca” of the sport.

In New York City, pick-up basketball is not just a sport. It is a way of life. There are 700+ outdoor courts, and an estimated 500,000 players, the most loyal of which approach the game as a religion, and the playground as their church.

DOIN’ IT IN THE PARK: PICK-UP BASKETBALL, NYC lovingly uncovers this movement through the voices of playground legends, NBA athletes, and most importantly the common ballplayer who all day looks forward to calling “next” game at their local schoolyard.

Co-directors Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau visited 180 courts throughout NYC’s five boroughs to create their debut documentary. They traveled to a majority of the locations by bicycle, carrying camera equipment and a ball in their backpacks. The film’s title refers as much to the subject matter as it does to the method of filmmaking, providing an unprecedented perspective on urban America’s most popular, and accessible, free recreation.