The Pop Blitz

Welcome to the weekend Popsters, thanks for stopping by! I hope the week was kind to you and you’re ready for some more Poptastic frivolity!

We’ve got a lot to cover this week so, without further yada, yada, yada, let’s get this party started!

• The Perfect Father’s Day Gift!

Have you been wracking your brain trying to figure out what to give the dad who has everything? Why not show him you think he’s the real king and buy him an iron throne, or rather, THE Iron Throne!

The HBO Store is offering life size replicas of the famed throne featured on the hit series Game of Thrones and it’ll only set you back 30,000.00! Yeah, it’s a little on the pricey side, I’d love to know how many they’re actually going to sell, my guess is it’s a fairly limited market. Ah well, we can dream, can’t we?

If you want it, here it is, come and get it!

• Disney World’s Art of Animation Resort

The House the Mouse built opened their Art of Animation Resort this past week in Orlando, Florida and it looks, as expected, pretty freakin’ amazing! The Finding Nemo and Cars suites are available and ready for occupancy and the Lion King and Little Mermaid rooms will be ready by the end of the summer.

Go here to make your reservations and check out this nice video overview courtesy of the folks at AllEArs.Net!

• Prometheus: The Paper Trailer

Ridley Scott’s long awaited Prometheus opens this weekend and definitely looks like one I’ll have to brave the crowds to see! (The truth is, I’ve actually been waiting to see this flick since I first heard about it two years ago.)

An artist who is obviously even more excited than I am about this movie took it upon themselves to put together a shot for shot recreation of the trailer using only construction paper. It’s pretty brilliant, check it out!

• Movie Simpsons

A very dedicated fan of The Simpsons has put together a very cool site featuring all of the movie parodies featured in the show’s 23 year history.

The Simpsons is the longest running sitcom/ animated program in U.S. television history.

Check out the site, it’s AWESOME, DUDE! DOH!

• Disney’s Wreck It Ralph

Disney released the trailer for their holiday season feature, Wreck It Ralph, this week and it sure does look like a lot of fun. It also appears that the line between Pixar and Disney is continuing to blur more and more these days. Of course, this was to be expected since Pixar’s John Lassiter is now the head of Disney’s entire animation division.

Wreck It Ralph opens in theaters 11/02/2012

• A Brief History of Video Games

Speaking of video games both old and new, check out this brief history of the medium that once eat all of our quarters and now just eats most of our time. I really love stuff this, you will too, check it out!

• The Black Keys Are Creeping Me Out!

The Black Keys have released a second video for their new single, “Gold on the Ceiling“, and this one really creeps me out. Great tune, really strange vid. I apologize in advance if this one gives you nightmares, sweet dreams.

• New Tunes for June!

To help kick off the month we’ve got a brand new PopCast for you this week featuring some great new tunes from Garbage, Beck, Plaster, Kimbra and Guided By Voices, to name but a few. It’s the perfect mix to play by the pool as we inch closer and closer to the official start of Summer 2012!

Tune in, Turn it up and POP Out!

• The Wiyos- Twist

I’ve been a pretty big of The Wiyos for quite awhile now and I’m absolutely loving their new album, Twist, a collection of songs inspired by, of all things, The Wizard of Oz. You’ll hear them in this week’s PopCast and I strongly encourage you to check out this short documentary about the making of their new concept album. I’ve got a feeling we’re going to be hearing a lot more about these guys in the not too distant future, the cream is clearly rising to the top!

• Sexy Jedi Bubblebath! Saber 2: Return of the Body Wash

The Geek & Gamer Girls from The Nerdist Channel delivered yet another inspired video last month, this time featuring light sabers, wet tank tops and a damp Wookie. Who could ask for anything more?

• It’s a Shame About Ray

We really lost one of the greats this week with the passing of Ray Bradbury. As embarrassed as I am to admit it, I had this damn song stuck in my head ever since I heard the sad news. Regular visitors of Pop Bitez first saw this one almost two years ago. It’s still damn funny and a nice tribute to the legendary author, even if it’s one I’m sure he never expected.

• The 2012 Tony Awards

The 2012 Tony Awards are this Sunday night and- as always- will be broadcast on CBS, (check your local listings for exact times.)

It should be a fairly entertaining show this year with Neil Patrick Harris once again hosting and live performances from the nominated musicals including Evita, Newsies, Jesus Christ Superstar, Porgy and Bess, Nice Work If You Can Get It and Follies, to name but a few.

If I’m betting I’m going to put my money down for Once to take home the coveted Best Musical of 2012 Award. There really was no other show this year that received the rave reviews like they did and, judging from the clips I’ve seen, I think I can understand why. I really loved the film the musical is based on and I hope to be seeing this one on the “Great White Way” before the end of this year, until then, I’ll just have to settle for the videos, (and Glen Hansard’s concert in Phoenix two weeks from today!)

• Bunheads

I caught the pilot to the new series Bunheads a few weeks ago and, much to my surprise, I really liked it! It’s actually hard NOT to like.

The premise is almost ridiculous and highly implausible but the writing is smart and funny and the cast is great, particularly Broadway darling Sutton Foster.

I have to say I was more than a little shocked by the end of the premiere episode and a little disappointed by the conclusion,( you’ll know what I’m talking about when you see it), I didn’t see that plot shift coming and you won’t either.

I don’t know about you but I’m setting my DVR for this show. I’m very curious to see where this one goes, it’s a real charmer, even if it feels like they might “jump the shark” at any minute.

Bunheads premieres on ABC Family, Monday 6/11 9pm/ 8pm Central

Pop Nuggets

• Check out these Star Wars iPhone cases, I can’t decide between R2 or the Wookie.

• I love a good opening title sequence, my current favs would have to be Game of Thrones and Dexter. Art of the Title is a way cool website that goes in depth with the creators and filmmakers behind some of the best, check it out when you have some time.

• As I’ve always suspected, there really is no such thing as a “sold out” concert, check out this interesting piece from NPR that explains it all.

• Are you ready for the return of that cat eating alien? It seems like it’s about that time.

• The Django Unchained Trailer is Here!

So, what do you think? Are you going to be spending your Christmas with Quentin Tarantino this year? I can promise you we are, can’t wait!

• Mr. Rogers Wants to Get in your Head

I’m loving this new remix from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood! Man, this really takes me back, like a melancholy acid flashback! Fred is digging in the garden of your mind, whoa, awesome!

♥ Alright Popsters, that’s all the news that’s fit to POP for this week! Thanks again for stopping by, have a great week! Until next time, Cheers!- Scott