Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2396

Drones Let You Explore Beautiful European Castles Like a Bird

We might not be able to fly like birds, but drones allow us to see the world the way they do, peacefully and beautifully from above, and it turns out their view of castles and palaces are even more stunning than what we can see from the ground, as we get to experience in this fairy tale compilation from the sky over some of Europe’s best.

This video, that we first saw at Sploid, comes to us from the YouTube channel WeWannaGo TV, the dedicated travel account committed to “Earth porn” run by the husband and wife team of Christiaan and Kseniya Welzel. Covering a wide range of castle types and locales from the Old World, this feels like the opening to a Westeros that is full of peace and harmony, and not ice zombies

and death.

They were kind enough to give us a list of the different places they filmed at or took footage from, and we’d like to visit them all immediately. The places included are:

Castle of Almourol (Tagus River, Vila Nova da Barquinha, Portugal)
Bled Castle (Lake Bled, Slovenia)
Blenheim Palace (Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England)
Dvigrad Castle (Istria, Croatia)
Ehrenberg Castle (Reutte, Tirol, Austria)
Hohenwerfen Castle (Salzach valley, Werfen, Austria)
Khotyn Fortress (Dniester River, Khotyn, Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine)
Landskron Castle (Villach, Carinthia, Austria)
Neuschwanstein Castle (Hohenschwangau, Füssen, Bavaria, Germany)
Predjama Castle (Postojna, Predjama, Slovenia)
Castle Stalker (Port Appin, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, United Kingdom)

There’s something quite poetic about using modern technology to find a new way to appreciate old, beautiful buildings. The birds have had that view to themselves for far too long.

What castle would you love to fly a drone over? Tell us in the comments below.

Speaking of castles, did you miss some stuff from the Thrones finale?

Images: WeWannaGo TV

ANASTASIA Will Get the Broadway Musical Treatment in April

The rumors in St. Petersburg are true! Fox’s animated feature Anastasia will be waltzing onto a Broadway stage on April 24, 2017, almost 20 years after the iconic film was first released in theaters. No, your eyes do not deceive you, everyone’s favorite non-Disney, true-life princess is coming to Broadway at last.

The stage musical adaptation of the end of the Russian oligarchy will feature songs from the beloved 1997 film, as well as a completely new score from Tony Award-winning team Stephen Ahrens (composer) and Lynn Flaherty (lyricist). The book was written by Terrence McNally, otherwise known as the genius behind Ragtime. The main cast will be comprised of Broadway regulars reprising their roles after a sold-out, pre-Broadway tryout at Connecticut’s Hartford Stage.

“From the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, the new musical Anastasia is the romantic, adventure-filled story of a brave young woman attempting to discover the mystery of her past”, the show’s website reads.

For those of you not caught up on your early 20th century Russian history, Anastasia tells the semi-true story of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, the last child of Tsar Nicholas II. The whole of the Romanov family was executed in 1918, but even after their deaths, rumors of Anastasia’s escape captivated the world, with several women coming forward to claim that they were, in fact, the lost Grand Duchess. And in 1997, that outrageous tale was turned into a children’s film (because what else does one do with a story of extrajudicial execution?), where a girl with a lost memory of her princess past is taken in by a pair of crooks hoping to pass her off as the real Anastasia only to found out that, well, she actually was the real deal all along! Twist, right?

“After finishing a record breaking run in Hartford, we look forward to bringing the magic of Anastasia to Broadway audiences next spring,” explained producers Bill Taylor and Tom Kirdahy in a statement. “In Hartford, we saw people ages 8-100 travel from all over the world to enjoy Anastasia’s enduring story.”

While it’s normal to be hesitant about these sorts of things—adaptations have a bad rep of being cash grabs—all of this sounds insanely promising thanks to sold-out shows and the great cast and crew involved. Besides, it’s pretty much everything I didn’t know I needed. Anastasia, just take all my money and take me on a journey to the past.

What do you think? Is an Anastasia musical worth your time? Sound off in the comments below!

Image: Fox

Spray Paint Becomes a Rainbow Explosion in Super Slow Mo

Cans of spray paint, a BB gun, an axe, a sledgehammer, and a super slow motion camera–combining those things together can only mean one thing: The Slow Mo Guys are back with a new video.

Continuing their obsession with making beautiful, colorful art in very non-traditional ways, Dan and Gavin filmed their varies methods of blowing up cans of spray paint at 2,500 frames-per-second, and the messy results are better than you’d hope.

First they started by piercing the cans with a BB gun, and while the first two looked really cool in slow mo–like mini, colorful geysers–the glancing blow they fired at the last, blue can sent it spinning in the air like a downed helicopter in a disaster movie.

Then they switched up to the axe and sledgehammer, and it was glorious. Dan, in his extra safe blue jacket suit, first took the axe to a yellow can of spray paint, which promptly exploded in his face. The rest turned him into his very own breathing Jackson Pollack, but the real star here was the slow motion footage, which showed the pressurized cans of liquid firing off in all directions.

As for the sledgehammer, it is obviously not easy to be accurate with it, but it did manage to produce some great looking footage.

That is, until the grand finale, when they took out an array of cans at once, like a rainbow exploding in a glorious burst of silliness.

This might not be a great method for painting a wall, but it did make some surprisingly pleasant art (which you can bid on at eBay for charity, currently at over 80 THOUSAND dollars), and some awesome slow motion footage.

What other ways should they destroy cans of spray paint? Don’t be slow, hurry up and tell us in the comments below.

We did some Slow Motion Destruction of our own!

Images: The Slow Mo Guys

New SUICIDE SQUAD Supercut Features All of the Joker’s Scenes

This summer, there’s a new Joker moving into Gotham City and he’s more than just the Clown Prince of Crime! Eight years after Heath Ledger‘s unforgettable turn as the Joker in The Dark Knight, Jared Leto is putting his stamp on the character in Suicide Squad. This will be the third movie in the DC Extended Universe, and Leto will probably have several opportunities to play Batman‘s greatest adversary, but he only has one chance to make a first impression!

YouTube user AparTall has put together a supercut of every Joker scene from the previously released Suicide Squad trailers. Believe it or not, that amounts to just under a minute of footage! Presumably the studio is showing some restraint and holding back the juiciest of Joker scenes for the actual movie. There’s definitely a different flavor of madness to this Joker, and Leto is certainly intimidating in the brief scenes that we’ve seen so far. Leto appears to have a very different take on the Joker, and it will be interesting to see if audiences embrace his performance. Leto doesn’t have to match Heath Ledger’s Joker, he just has to be entertaining.

For those of you who want a better view of the footage, this video also includes an encore of the scenes in slow motion to that should let you explore the clips at your own pace.

Suicide Squad will be released on Friday, August 5.

What did you think about the Joker supercut? Are you looking forward to seeing Leto’s take on the iconic supervillain? Unleash your thoughts in the comment section below!

What can you expect from Batman v Superman‘s Ultimate Edition?

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Entertainment

Woops, HBO Confirmed [SPOILER]’s Father Before GAME OF THRONES Did

The night is dark and full of spoilers, Game of Thrones fans — so if you don’t want something you probably already knew (especially if you read the books) confirmed for you before the show and/or George R.R. Martin get to it, turn away now and don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Well we finally know who the daddy is — and it’s someone you probably thought it was all along. On Tuesday, HBO’s official blog, Making Game of Thrones, released an infographic depicting the complicated relationships surrounding Ned Stark, his bastard Jon Snow, Lyanna Stark, and the Baratheon/Lannister clan. Oh, and it also, totally and completely confirmed who Jon Snow’s real father is, even though we only got the confirmation during the season six finale, “The Winds of Winter,” that Ned Stark’s sister, Lyanna Stark, was actually the bastard boy’s mother.

With several lines depicting parentage, marriage, alliances, and enemies — and even one for murder, because Thrones — the true father of the half-Stark baby is undeniable. Take a look for yourself (and click it to make it full size!):

Now, before you get all, “duh-doy, Nerdist!” Please note: we know! R+L=J is a long-held fan theory, so it’s not exactly a surprise or twist to see Rhaegar finally and officially listed somewhere as the father of everyone’s favorite brooding know-nothinger …but it is pretty shocking that HBO let their blog do it first, rather than, say, the show or George R.R. Martin himself.

Or maybe they didn’t know and whichever graphic designer at the network mocked this up for them got a little bit overzealous and nobody realized.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

And if you want to talk more about “The Winds of Winter,” click below to hear us talk about it on All Kings Considered:

Image: HBO

Alicia Lutes is the Managing Editor, creator/co-host of Fangirling, and resident Khaleesi of House Nerdist. Find her on Twitter if that’s your thing.

GILMORE GIRLS: Supercaffeinated Recaps, Part 16 – Rory and Community Service

Our supercaffeinated recaps have brought us to season six, and we’ve arrived to the big Rory and Lorelai blowout of Gilmore Girls. It’s a part of the show I’ve been putting off because it’s uncomfortable to see the usually in-tune mother and daughter duo at odds. However, maybe this is the universe balancing out the 20 or so years of awesome interaction between the pair? It’s not fair for a parent-child relationship to be so wonderful for so long.

Other than Rory and Lorelai being on the outs, the beginning of the sixth season is about community service, Rory’s 21st birthday, and Luke and Lorelai planning their nuptials–maybe? Let’s gab.

Paying the Price

In another case of Richard and Emily Gilmore thinking they know best but that not being the case, Richard hires a reputable attorney to represent Rory in her trial in “New and Improved Lorelai.” The lawyer is arrogant and thinks he’ll get Rory off the hook with a slap on the wrist, but unfortunately for them, the judge isn’t the forgiving sort. Maybe it’s mean, but I liked seeing Rory punished for her actions. Yeah, it was community service and not jail time, but it was 300 hours of community service. It breaks down to over seven 40-hour work weeks. The judge was clearly over dealing with wealthy, entitled youths, and while Rory doesn’t usually fit that personality, she did when she stole the yacht with Logan. She desperately needed to learn her actions have consequences. She’s been too used with having it easy.

I adore Gilmore Girls–I wouldn’t have rewatched it as many times as I have if I loathed it. However, there is something to be said for the privilege the main characters have. Sure, Lorelai moved out and completely raised Rory on her own. But when she needed a hefty loan, she was able to go to her parents and get it. Rory’s done the same. How many of us have a similar option? So, I’m okay with Rory seeing a different side of life involving picking up trash from the side of the road. Even if she’s waking up in the palatial Gilmore home to a prepared breakfast.

Favorite quote: “There’s plenty of time to sleep when you’ve gone up a couple of dress sizes.” – Emily Gilmore

Emily On Your Side

I say a lot of mean things about Emily Gilmore, but she did one slightly redeeming thing in “We’ve Got Magic to Do.” Rory wound up in charge of planning an event for the Daughters of the American Revolution, and because she’s Rory, she did it perfectly and orchestrated an incredibly successful gala. That’s slightly annoying but only slightly. The World War II-themed party attracted the attention of the Huntzbergers–they’re more privileged than the Gilmores–and the possibility of encountering Mitchum caused Rory to have a panic attack.

Mitchum spilled the beans about the fateful dinner at the Huntzbergers to Richard and repeated what he told Rory about not having “it.” I’ve never seen Richard so angry, but I couldn’t fully applaud his or Emily’s actions because hello, Lorelai tried to tell them about the way the Huntzbergers treated Rory and her parents didn’t believe her! Still, Emily tearing down Shira was incredibly satisfying. That sort of vitriol is what makes Emily both great and awful.

Richard had a moment in this episode where he saw Rory and envisioned the path she was headed down. It was enough to give him pause. The realization of Rory becoming another Emily had to be hard for him. On one hand, he loves Emily and is proud of her. On the other hand, he knows Rory is meant to do more than plan charitable functions. She had ambitions, she merely lost track of them.

Favorite quote: “I want you to do whatever you want to do with me. I know that sounded dirty, and the dirty things count, but I didn’t mean the dirty things.” – Lorelai Gilmore

All Grown Up

One of the most important birthday milestones in life arrived for Rory in “Twenty-One Is the Loneliest Number.” The shindig drove home the sadness of the separation for Rory because she and Lorelai had an epic trip planned to Atlantic City for Rory’s 21st birthday. They’d been talking about the trip since Rory was little, and the plans were detailed. I’m sure neither of them imagined a scenario in which they wouldn’t be celebrating together.

Actually, they did celebrate together, but it was strained. Emily threw an elegant Gilmore-style party for her granddaughter. If you needed a reminder about how much money the Gilmores have, Emily mentioning the pearls she had put on her 21st birthday party invitations was for you. I can’t fathom a life in which putting pearls on disposable invitations is an option and a thing one would think of doing.

While the episode showcased how awkward Lorelai and Rory’s relationship has become, it also was another example of how Rory can be all too comfortable in the lofty upper echelons the Gilmores call home. For a moment, I couldn’t help but wonder if Rory would move fully into her new life and become Emily Jr.

Favorite quote: “That’s terrible. It’s like drinking a My Little Pony.” – Luke Danes

How are feeling about Rory as we begin season six? Share all your opinions with me in the comments.

Images: Warner Bros., Forever Young Adult, Daddy Padackles

Watch the Strokes in Their First New Music Video in 5 Years

Every time the Strokes return to the fold, it reminds me of a precarious time in my life when I needed their music, which happened to coincide with their return from an extended hiatus after releasing a still-divisive third album. They had gone through plenty of shit, and I was just beginning to go through shit, and it was one of those perfect celestial alignments that led to my listening to Is This It upwards of a hundred times over a few months. So with each reemergence the band makes, no matter the scale, I find myself beaming, thinking about where I am and where I was, mostly just happy that the Strokes are still doing their thing.

The music video for “Threat of Joy,” the final track on their new Future Present Past, is a playfully convoluted tale of espionage and Wall Street corruption, which features our first non-live look at the band in five years. And while Warren Fu’s concerted gimmickry is comical, the most entertaining shots are those we get of the band performing, interacting, and just goofing around. The lighthearted feel of the video, I imagine, has everything to do with the fulfillment of their contract with RCA, and the creative freedoms they now have on Julian Casablancas’ label, Cult Records. Three moments in particular stick out to me and all involve several Strokes flashing smiles (Fab, Julian, and Albert), purely enjoying being back in a familiar position, but with much more freedom to appreciate one another’s antics. Sure the song is called “Threat of Joy,” perhaps implying the terminal nature of happiness as a looming, inevitable issue, but it’s important not to let that potential eat away at something that feels good in the moment.

Their smiles made me smile, so I screen-capped them. Is that super dorky? Totally. Do I care? Not even a little.

Are you digging the Strokes’ new music video? Let us know on Twitter and in the comments!

Image: Cult Records

Matt Grosinger is the music editor of Nerdist, and hopes the Strokes have another album on the horizon.

Hasbro Made a ‘Wonky’ Mr. Potato Head to Help Reduce Food Waste

Until now, I’ve never thought about how strange it was that one of the most popular children’s toys of all-time is a man with a potato for a head. Pretty strange, right?

Mr. Potato Head, while best known for his snarky role in the Toy Story franchise, was first manufactured back in 1952. Soon afterwards, he would become the first toy ever advertised on television. Until 1964, the curio was marketed as a bundle of plastic parts and pushpins that could be stuck into a real potato. Rotting vegetables ruined that scheme (duh), and instead Mr. Potato Head was fitted with an ersatz plastic shell that would never decay. Interestingly enough, he’s now the mascot for forgotten, decaying vegetables everywhere.

In an attempt to remind people that produce need not be blemish-free in order to taste good, Hasbro and the UK-based grocery chain ASDA have developed an oblong, more biologically accurate Mr. Potato Head. To be blunt, we waste a ton of food, largely due to our image hang-ups that make us favor perfectly shaped fruits and veggies (and most everything else). We imagine that a potato-head-shaped potato will taste better than its oblong counterparts. In actuality, of course, the flavor and safety of both are exactly the same.

We could learn a lot from Wonky Mr. Potato Head, friends! He’s an allegory for all the shapes and sizes that fall outside our idea of “normal,” and we would do well to give them as much attention as any of our “normal” looking brethren—be they potatoes or people. Don’t let folks suffer the same fate as that foot-shaped carrot you left on the shelf last year.

You can purchase Wonky Mr. Potato Head for the next six days via online auction, as Gizmodo reports. All proceeds will go to charity. Any big Mr. Potato Head collectors/ecological food enthusiasts planning on grabbing this? Let us know in the comments below.

Featured Image: eBay/Hasbro

See AUSTIN POWERS Reimagined as a Serious, Suspenseful Spy Saga

When Danger is your middle name, life isn’t always swinging and parties. Not when you’re one of the greatest spies alive and the fate of the free world, and of those you love, rests in your hands.

This fan-made trailer, which we first came across at EW, was edited together by Ryan Shukis, whose YouTube channel is full of these fun, re-cut, reimagined trailers (we told you in February about his modern trailer for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). In this entry, he used the haunting “Star Fusion” from the Star Trek Beyond trailer and footage from all three Austin Powers movies to turn Mike Myers‘ parody series into a serious, thrilling spy saga… albeit one that still has female robots shooting bullets from their bras.

For Shukis’ gritty version of Austin Powers he borrowed the casting choices from the great opening sequence of Goldmember, imagining Tom Cruise in the role of the brave but troubled spy (with all of the same daddy issues seen in that third flick), and Kevin Spacey as the ruthless Dr. Evil, in a movie directed by Sam Mendes, based on the novel by Dean Koontz.

Losing 30 years of life in service to your country only to learn you still don’t have the respect of your father and hero, would make for a dynamic and fascinating leading man, especially a spy who has the burden of saving the world on him, so it’s not crazy to thin of Austin Powers in a serious role.

So long as he had a change of wardrobe that is. And maybe fewer fembots.

Could Austin Danger Powers lead a serious film? Oh behave by telling us your thoughts in the comments below.

Featured Image: New Line Cinema

GAME OF THRONES Gets Remade, Doggy-Style

There are few things we love in this world more than Game of Thrones—outside of slightly inappropriate and innuendo-laced headlines—but one of those things is definitely puppies. Especially puppies that get dressed up and recreate our favorite TV series—which is exactly what cutie pooch Crusoe the Dachshund did in honor of the sixth season of the HBO fantasy series. And despite all the ruff puns we could make right now, doggone it, we’re just going to keep it simple: we’re howling over this bit of silly adorableness.

The one-time Lord of House Weinerfell, Crusoe made his way south and ultimately defeated the powers-that-be to take over the Bone Throne (which we can already hear Dan Casey and Kyle Hill saying aloud and cackling to themselves). Could this, perhaps, be a bit of foreshadowing for what’s to come in season seven? After all (finale spoiler alert): there’s a Stark in Winterfell again and the biggest baddie in all the land is now atop the Iron Throne and needs to be handled. There’s also a really cute moment where Crusoe is transformed into The Hound…probably because that’s exactly what he is. Basically, if you like silly adorable things, especially when they’re performed by dogs, you’re sure to enjoy this video. At least between re-watches of “The Battle of the Bastards.”

Of course, if you want something a bit more serious, you can always check out our 12 things you may have missed in the finale edition of Nerdist News:

What other pup-related Thrones puns can you come up with? Leave ’em in the comments below!