Captain America Blogathon | A Journey Through the Decades Lost

Dear Captain America/ Mr. Rogers,

I heard you've just been unfreezed which is great news and bad news at the same time. It's just a guess, but something bad must've happened or you wouldn't have been melted? Anyway, I'm not as familiar with your story as many other people, not having seen the recent picture based on your achievements in the War nor having read any of the comic books centered around you. However, I'm a big fan of moving pictures - we call them movies or flicks these days - and I have taken the freedom to arrange for you a list of those you may have missed during your... well, absence. There is a movie from each decade since you were frozen and I have tried to choose one that reflected its time very well. I hope this will be a help for you to get used to your surroundings and catch up on the years you've missed.

Spin-off Blogathon | Agent Mariah Hill and Jor-El

It took some time to figure this out, but my final choice for the spin-off blogathon hosted by Sati is a tie between two comic-book-to-movie characters. Funnily, it's a very fair tie in many ways, representing both genders, both comic book giants (DC and Marvel) as well as two different general opinions on each movie. My choices are Agent Mariah Hill, played by the fabulous Cobie Smulders in The Avengers and Jor-El/ Superman's real dad, played by Russell Crowe in Man of Steel. You can guess which of the above characteristics belongs to which character.

Blind Spot Fixed: American History X

I can't discuss American History X - which, just to give you an impression, should land somewhere up in my Top 10 films of all time - without discussing my initial expectations for it. Along with Once Upon a Time in the West, this was the movie from blind spot list that I expected least from, mainly because I knew the least about it. The title had always made me think of some slightly preachy yet solid, typical 'universally good movie' about Malcolm X and black oppression. At least I was slightly right about that last one, but surprisingly there is no trace of Malcolm X in this movie at all. Lincoln may have been mentioned, which brings me to my first point: Movie buffs have been talking a lot about racism in the last two years with Lincoln and 12 Years a Slave being released and overall cherished. These were two movies that left me very cold and didn't trigger much of the aspired emotional reaction in me, which has convinced quite a few people I talk to about movies that I am a racist (jokingly... I hope). For example, one of these people was very surprised when I told him that I had actually fairly enjoyed this year's Fruitvale Station, me being a racist and all. I can't wait to tell him what I think of American History X (hint: it begins with M and ends with ASTERPIECE)*.

Across the Universe Podcast, Eps 22: Teenage Dream

Sofia and I turned 22 and 19, respectively, and all three chicks including Nik celebrate this with some fun, over-the-top, rebellious teenage movies; I forced some High School Musical on the two, Nik went with the classier choice of Rebel Without a Cause and Sofia took us back to the crazy 80s with Girls Just Want to Have Fun (which, by the way, is available to watch legally and free on youtube).

Let us be your teenage dream tonight!

PS: Please vote for the movie you'd like us to watch for the first time and discuss in the next episode! You can find the poll by clicking on this link or on the sidebar.

00:33- Chick-chatter
02:32- Trailer
03:12- Interesting Movie of the Fortnight
14:02- The chicks discuss High School Musical (2006)
26:09- The chicks discuss Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
38:09- The chicks discuss Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985)
48:08- Plugs and Goodbyes

Soundtrack
We Are Young (by Fun. feat. Janelle Monáe)
Teenage Dream (by Katy Perry)

Across The Universe (by Rufus Wainwright)




Follow us at: facebook.com/acrosstheuniversepodcast
Write to us at: acrosstheuniversepodcast@gmail.com
Find us on iTunes: search for Across the Universe Podcast
Listen to us on: Stitcher Radio | Podomatic
Download episodes from: Dropbox

Spread the Word | My Home Is Happy, 10 Minutes You Have to See Before You Die and a Poll

B Brittani Burham has a different opinion on How I Live Now than me - which I'm cool with.
L Hashtag Chicago; here are 10 Great Films by Not-So-Great Directors.
O Gaja Gamini reviews 3 Deewarein, a Hindi-film blindspot that's been haunting me for years.
G Dan Heaton writes about Nebraska and the American Dream.
S Ryan McNeil saw digested a movie I'm dying to see, The Grand Budapest Hotel.

V The Ninth Doctor: A Tribute celebrates one of the most underrated Doctors.
I There's a Happy video from my own home town - We are happy from Flensburg.
D My darling Nawazuddin Siddiqui is starring in a weird looking movie called Lateef.
S I stumbled upon the curious French Toast Sunday youtube channel.

N The new Maze Runner images look kind of intriguing.
E A LEGO movie video game has been released - not that I have time to play.
W Black Widow might be getting her own movie!
S Jonathan Keogh worked for a year on compiling all 1001+ Movies You Have to See Before You Die in to one video - and it's amazing.

M I was a guest on the Matineecast, Episode 107 - The Blindspot Series.
E Please vote for The Elements Trilogy for Movie of the Month on the LAMB Page sidebar!

Spread the word!