Pew pew

I can't believe November is over already. Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

Iron Man 3 and Race

The Iron Man 3 trailer was recently released and it looks fantastic! I can't wait for it's release next May. However, one particular interesting question being raised: Isn't the main villain, who's named The Mandarin, isn't he supposed to be Chinese? Marvel Studios Says Iron Man 3 Villain The Mandarin Isn't Chinese, He's International (MTV News).

Race and casting is a tricky business. There was outcry over casting in the live action Avatar: the Last Airbender movie a few years ago, and some rumblings over Johnny Depp being cast as Tonto in the upcoming Lone Ranger movie. And while I want to see more choice roles for Asian actors in American cinema, and love to read articles on the topic...all I can keep thinking of is Robert Downey Jr's character in Tropic Thunder which perhaps acts as a very poignant parody:

He's not a Bad Guy

I was extremely pleased by Disney's Wreck-It Ralph, a wonderfully tender and introspective animated tale. Here are my highlights:

• Top-notch voice casting
• Good balance for an "all-age movie", something Pixar's recent movie "Brave" didn't have
• As an older viewer, a healthy dose of nostalgic video game characters: everything from Pac-Man to Street Fighter 2
• For an animated movie, it hits on the more mature themes of identity and self-image
• *sniff*...What? No, I'm not crying during a cartoon...I just have something in my eyes... *sniff* It's so touching, pass the tissues...

I definitely recommend it if you can catch in the theater, or once it comes out on DVD.

Alicia Keys covers Disney's "Gummi Bears" theme song

Seriously, only on Jimmy Fallon could this happen:

Alicia Keys Breaks Hearts With 'Adventures of the Gummi Bears' Cover (MTV Geek)


What a brilliantly quirky piece of promotion Alicia, and kudos to you for reminding me of my addiction to the Disney Afternoon block of cartoons from my childhood. RIP Gummi Bears. Next I want a soulful rendition of the Duck Tales theme song by Hall & Oates...oh wait...

Tuesday's Tunes: Glory in the Highest

Thanksgiving is typically the time I dust off my Christmas playlist, and upload it for the car ride down to my family in NY. Let's ease into the Christmas music season with Glory in the Highest, from Chris Tomlin's Christmas worship album of the same name. It's a song that really works any time of the year, I hope you enjoy it: