The Verge - Culture Posts

Watch Anamanaguchi send a slice of pizza into space in 'Endless Fantasy'

2013-05-24T20:42:23Z

The latest video from chiptune rock stars Anamanaguchi doesn't have as many meows as the first, but it does have a space-bound slice of pizza. The video is for the title track off of the band's new album, Endless Fantasy, and the funding for the slice's voyage came from Anamanaguchi's ongoing Kickstarter campaign. "Literally the first thing we did with your funding was send a slice of NYC pizza to outer space," the band wrote in an update today.

'Fast & Furious 6' review: all roads lead to explosions

2013-05-24T17:00:02Z

There are a lot of things to say about Fast & Furious 6, which opens this weekend. We could talk about cars, or explosions, or the many new and interesting ways cars can explode now, in 2013. We could discuss new characters, familiar faces, and dead characters who are now alive again. We could ponder why director Justin Lin and writer Chris Morgan are now brazenly retconning everything in sight after making the last four movies in the series together, as though they are being chased by the Action Movie Continuity Police.
We could even just sit around and discuss what exactly Tyrese is supposed to be doing, most of the time. The Verge staff is full of Fast fans, and I’m not sure anyone actually knows.
But here’s a bigger thing to...

New trailers: 'The World's End,' 'Man of Steel,' 'The Wolverine,' and 'Metallica Through The Never'

2013-05-24T16:47:18Z

The Hangover Part III hits theaters this weekend, but if you're in the mood for something else there's plenty of new movies on the way. To get a sense of what's yet to come, here are some of the week's most coolest coming attractions.

Verge Favorites: Carl Franzen

2013-05-24T14:29:03Z

The Verge staffers aren't just people who love technology. They're people who love stuff. We spend as much time talking and thinking about our favorite books, music, and movies as we do debating the best smartphone to buy or what point-and-shoot has the tightest macro. We thought it would make sense to share our latest obsessions with Verge readers, and we hope you're encouraged to share your favorites with us. Thus a long, healthy debate will ensue where we all end up with new things to read, listen to, or try on.

'Fringe', Fox (2008-2012)

I’m hit or miss when it comes to J.J. Abrams: I liked Alias, not so much Lost. But this sci-fi show — a post-9/11 paean to body horror, has grown on me so much since I began...

WikiLeaks tears apart 'We Steal Secrets' documentary in full annotated transcript

2013-05-24T09:11:49Z

On the eve of the international release of Alex Gibney’s WikiLeaks documentary We Steal Secrets, the organization is blasting the film, leaking a complete, annotated transcript reporting dozens of factual errors and instances of "sleight of hand" from the Oscar-winning director. In the transcript, WikiLeaks points to, among other things, the use of a "crude gay caricature" to paint Bradley Manning’s decision to leak US military and diplomatic documents as "a failure of character, rather than a triumph of conscience."

Naked, alone, and dwarfed by nature: Ruben Brulat's 'Paths'

2013-05-24T08:04:36Z

Ruben Brulat's Paths is a photo series that shows figures lost in the wilderness. The young photographer, who previously gained recognition for the similarly-themed Primates, traveled Asia and the Middle East, shooting grand, hostile-looking locales. As beautiful as the landscapes are, Paths' genius lies in the contrast between the tiny, naked figures and the dramatic backdrops. Brulat captures the vulnerability and insignificance of man when shown in the context of the vast emptiness of nature.

Life-sized Lego X-Wing smashes world record with 5 million bricks

2013-05-24T06:05:55Z

Somebody at Lego built a life-sized, 5-million-brick model of a Rebel X-Wing fighter. Or rather, 32 somebodies, who spent 17,000 hours building the 43-foot-long, 45,980-pound replica — the largest Lego model in the world. Gizmodo reports that the fighter was assembled at the Lego Model Shop in Kladno, Czech Republic before being shipped to New York City, where it currently sits on display.

Lego had other motivations for building the X-Wing than just breaking records — it’s being used to promote Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles, a new three-part animated series coming to Cartoon Network on Wednesday, May 29th. It's only being shown in New York for three days this week, but Manhattan isn't your only hope; you can also check it...

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen rocks out with Joe Walsh and Chrissie Hynde on major label debut

2013-05-24T05:00:14Z

Multibillionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is set to release his next project this summer: the major label debut of his band, The Underthinkers. The LA Times reports that the record features Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders, Neville Brother Ivan Neville, and Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, and that all the money from album sales will go toward educational programs at his Experience Music Project museum in Seattle.

You might not guess it, but Allen is an accomplished guitarist, as evinced by the impressive blues shredding in the video below. The LA Times notes that the 60-year-old Allen claims to have "rarely gone a week without picking up a guitar," helping to keep the Idea Man balanced over the years. His album, titled Everywhere...

King Richard III was buried quickly, carelessly, and in far too short a grave

2013-05-23T23:00:04Z

For 500 years, the death of King Richard III has been marred in mystery, and new details on his burial revealed today are adding to that. Richard III was buried in a hurry, and in an "untidy lozenge-shaped grave." Whoever buried the king did so quickly and without much care. The information, released in a new research paper from the University of Leicester, makes it clear that the slain king wasn't treated with the royal consideration you'd expect after his death, adding yet another layer to the drama of his final days.

Ashton Kutcher on Twitter: 'the media kind of fucked it up'

2013-05-23T21:30:38Z

Ashton Kutcher was one of the first celebrities to really embrace Twitter, becoming the first user to exceed 1 million followers back in 2009. However, there's no doubt his relationship with the service has diminished in recent years, and he admitted as such in a talk today at CTIA. "Twitter's experience has changed for me, pretty drastically," Kutcher said according to CNBC. "It used to be sort of a personalized experience for me, a really personal experience that I could share." However, it sounds like Kutcher has really soured on the service as it has gotten larger and bigger companies have started using it. "For lack of a better verb, I think the media kind of fucked it up," Kutcher ranted. "I think media companies came in and just...

The Verge - Culture Posts

Watch Anamanaguchi send a slice of pizza into space in 'Endless Fantasy'

'Fast & Furious 6' review: all roads lead to explosions

New trailers: 'The World's End,' 'Man of Steel,' 'The Wolverine,' and 'Metallica Through The Never'

Verge Favorites: Carl Franzen

'Fringe', Fox (2008-2012)

WikiLeaks tears apart 'We Steal Secrets' documentary in full annotated transcript

Naked, alone, and dwarfed by nature: Ruben Brulat's 'Paths'

Life-sized Lego X-Wing smashes world record with 5 million bricks

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen rocks out with Joe Walsh and Chrissie Hynde on major label debut

King Richard III was buried quickly, carelessly, and in far too short a grave

Ashton Kutcher on Twitter: 'the media kind of fucked it up'