Lost Planet 2 has tactical Nukes in it!?!?

I knew you could combine VSs (in game playable robot suits) just never saw it, but tactical Nukes? You can apparently kill everyone including yourself on the battlefield!

Human Centipede still in theaters

Oh yes, thank goodness you still have chances to watch one of the greatest and grossest horror movies to ever come out. The movie is still currently playing at

Laemmle's Sunset 5

8000 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA -

You know it's good when a doctor wanted so much realism that he asked real doctor how would you create a human centipede.

That picture above basically explains the plot. A horrible doctor creates a Human Centipede. There is so much more to it than that. It frightening to think of yourself as no longer a individual, but part of something in a biological sense.

I highly recommend seeing this with friends.

BTW check out the new flash game . Yes it now has a flash game somewhat similar to the original Centipede

here some screen shots.

check out one of the weird bonuses

Just like the poster

Contest still in effect

Oh, the hilirarity and fun!
Hey, readers you still have a chance to win the Megatech UFO Blimp Combo pack from CSNstores.com and Things To Do In LA.

You've got to send me a story. A story about a place in LA or a continuing event in LA. It however can't be about a place/event I already wrote about it. Use search on the site first to make sure I haven't blogged about it already. I want pictures and I want to know why I should care. You be the writer, I'll be the critic

You still have to June 9th to send in your entries.

Send them into [email protected]

them maybe just maybe you can win these

Troll 2 and Twiligt Zone Art Show

I went to thr Troll 2 screenin at the Nuart and to 1988 gallery to check out the Twilight Zone Art Show

Troll 2 was great to see in theaters with a large audience. You know I'm a fan of B-movies and this is one of the top American B-movies ever. I even brought green covered rice krispies (it's a in joke if you've seen the film).

Best Worst Movie was a tremendous movie. It adds a level to Troll 2 that makes it funnier. You learn how pompous the director is. You learn what happened to the main cast (lot of problems there). You learn things and you laugh.

I'm glad I can say the original director of Troll 2 announced he and his wife are writing the script for Troll 2: Part 2. I'm sure someone will finance him just for the laughs.

Also 2 things to know

 1.Nuarte doesn't care if you bring in outside food

2. Nuarte has Tim-Tams, buy Tim-Tams

If you missed Best Worst Movie don't turn green and become goblin food head to the

Laemmle's Sunset 5

8000 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, 90046

310-478-3836

where it's playing for at least a week.

You are now entering the Twilight Zone

Twilight Zone had some nice pieces. Check them out. Gallery 1988

Things not to do in LA

Survival of the Dead is a terrible terrible terrible movie.

This movie is so devoid of any practical acting or common sense it's just stupid. It's not even funny stupid. It's horse rectum being eaten by vultures. The plot makes no sense. With terrible problems like a Irish island off the coast of the United States. It's sad to say the father of the zombie movie has finally lost it, but he has. He recently spoke at LA film school and said if Survival did well he'd make more. That ain't happening.

Survival of the Dead is playing at the Nuarte Theater, don't waste your money on it.

Nuart Theatre
11272 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA

Also watch out for Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo. I'm always down to see a Japanese culture movie. This one is about the strange world of beetle collecting. It would be a nice and easy film to enjoy except the director is a preachy hippy chick. Interweaving bug larvae and bugs just flying around without any context doesn't make a movie enjoyable. The director thought it be nice to cut away from the documentary at time to just show bugs that have nothing to do with the documentary.


Downtown Independent

So sorry honorable reader

I got finals stuff to do. I'll definitely have weekly events up, but I don't have time right now for Friday's new place to go.

Buy Thursday, Buy Death

Buy Death in anime form I mean. Next Tuesday grab Soul Eater: Part 3
from Amazon. I've watched all the recently dubbed episode from funimation and I'm amazed it hasn't gotten network play. The strange characters draw you in like a young boy named Soul who transfroms into a scythe for a young girl named Maka. Maka   is a soul reaper in training in Lord Death's Academy. Yes, you have to go to school before you can be a death scythe.

This is another hit anime you should pick up with great fights and strange characters set in world where the sun is always smiling blood red.

Soul Eater: Part 3

Mystery of the bleeding Looney Tunes

Mystery Team at New Beverly Cinema

may 28, 29
Mystery Team the amazing comedy is happening this weekend. I saw a screening of the epic comedy at the Nuarte and had a blast. Head out with friends if your looking to laugh your ass off.

Fri: 7:30; Sat: 3:20 ; 7:30

100 Greatest Looney Tunes!

from cinefamily's site:
To commemorate the publication of animation historian Jerry Beck's new hardcover book "The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons" (Insight Editions), we've got for you (what else?) one hundred Looney Tunes -- we'll screen a selection of full-length shorts in 35mm, as well as present a specially-edited reel featuring the other ninety-odd, and if we're lucky, advance copies of the book may be available for Jerry to sign! The book is based on a survey taken of thousands of cartoon fans, film historians and renowned movie critics, and celebrates the best of the best, the fastest and funniest Warner Bros. cartoons you must see before you die. The program features classic works by Tex Avery, Frank Tashlin, Chuck Jones, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng and others -- and stars Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, Tweety, Sylvester, Speedy Gonzales and dozens more. "Kill da Wabbit!" "Hassan Chop!" "I Tawt I Taw a Putty Tat!" "What’s Up, Doc?" "Pronoun Trouble!" Which ones made the cut? Join us on June 1st and find out! That’s all, folks!

June 1st 8:00pm
Silent Movie Theater
611 N. Fairfax Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90036




 
The Art of Bleeding and Friends at California Institute of Abnormal Arts


 

 
 
 
Now I've never been to one of theses shows, but it looks like a place to get freaky. Get ready to interact with others and understand the freakiness.
 
from yelp:
The Art of Bleeding returns to the curio-crammed sideshow environs of California Institute of Abnormal Arts for another night of grievously misguided health-and-safety lessons. Abram the Safety Ape, RT the Robot Teacher, and the wise old hand puppet Dr. Moody are joined by the delectably unprofessional Art of Bleeding Nurses in the latest episode of "Magic Ambulance Theater." Surgically reconstructed AoB "funmaker" Dr. Sunshine (with surprise guest) offers new and powerful demonstrations of laughter as a medicine of last resort. Outside medical consultants of Kabeza de Vaka Arcestra provide a visionary soundtrack makeover for a vintage classroom health-and-safety film. Alternative comedian Robert Selander explores the possibilities of home surgery, and magician Bieno Svengali exposes audience members to high levels of X-ray radiation, all in the name of Safety Consciousness. The evening will be hosted by Danny Shorago of the Fuxedos. SPECIAL PRIZES FOR THOSE ARRIVING IN HOSPITAL ATTIRE! $12 at door, $10 w/ costume. Doors 8:30pm.


Send to Friend Flag as inappropriate


California Institute of Abnormal Arts (CIA)

11334 Burbank Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 91601
$10.00 - $12.00

Jon M. Gibson Loves Hamburgers

Jon M. Gibson started i am 8-bit, as a spectacular art show about the nostalgia and love of old-school video games .That is continually held in Los Angeles. The i am 8-bit art show is highly received by video game fans and the art community and has had over 100 well known artist participate. Jon’s career started as a freelance video game journalist before co-founding Play Magazine, a well known video game magazine. After leaving Play Magazine Jon became a writer for different animated properties (cartoons) on all the major children’s networks. He is also the owner of Nerdcore, a producer of Nerd-themed calendars.

Jon M. Gibson is also the owner of i am 8-bit productions (The “i” is suppose to be lowercase). I am 8-bit productions is a marketing firm and idea house that produces commercials and, does viral marketing. Including campaigns, events, animation, and creates marketing materials and highly idolized press kits. I am 8-bit productions has serviced the needs of huge companies including Nintendo of America, Capcom, Spike television, EA, New Line Cinema and others. The company’s latest events were the Super Street Fighter Tribute Club in Atwater, California that happened on April 23rd 2010 and the Lost Planet 2 launch party that was held at the Roosevelt Hotel, in Hollywood California on May 6th.

A few weeks ago, I had my long overdue interview with the man who wants to do everything.

We met at Umami Burger just past Sweeny Todd’s Barbershop and a few steps from Wacko Soap Plant. I had never been to this burger joint, despite passing it a hundred times

One thing I learned about Jon is that he is insanely busy. This interview took months to get, and I planned on being seated for a while. It was well worth it when a tall skinny man with a ruff beard wearing a hat and glasses came with a smile on his face, put out his hand and said, “Hey, sorry I’m late.”

Jon is well versed, enthusiastic, filled with a hundred thoughts and friendly, He has no enemies, just people he has already crushed. That’s the impression I got from talking casually with him.

Like I said he sat down and we immediately fell into conversation. I thanked him for creating the greatest art shows I’d ever been to. And through a friendly discussion I got around to asking some questions.

First up I asked about when the i am 8-bit art show would return.

Jon said it was definitely happening this year and that it must happen this year. “It’s the anniversary,” he exclaimed. It was a pleasure to hear, “Sometime this Fall, maybe October.” I was so thrilled to hear it I immediately asked why there was no i am 8-bit in 2009? I sorely missed it and had probed the internet for new about it and found nothing. Jon gave a few reasons such as a bad economy, and their old gallery, the Wonder Gallery had left this world, “The pieces weren’t falling together,” Jon. Eventually he owed up to not getting around to doing it.

He also explained that at the last 8-bit in 2008 that something was amiss. The first night he had the flu. He felt terrible and had to push through it to do the show. What was funny is that Jon told me many people thought he was doing cocaine that night.

Asking about 8-bits creation was ringing in my head and laughter out of my face about the cocaine. Jon’s personality throughout the interview was that of a casual guy who would spring on certain questions. This was not one of those questions. It went down like this

Jonathan: How was the i am 8-bit art show created? (I paused waiting for a long speech.)

Jon: I just walked into a art gallery and asked.

Jonathan: ...

Jon: Just walked in one. I’ll just do things like that. I love asking questions. I love knowing how things work.

Jonathan: How’d you get the artists?

Jon: Pfft, I have plenty of artist friends.

Jonathan: Okay then I thought that would take a lot longer to answer.

Jon revealed that it wasn’t easy though and it took 9 months from conception to reality. Jon exclaimed how every event he planned has taken time even though the initial conception may have been short. He mentioned the Megaman event  I attended here in LA. At the event a moded ice cream truck was delivering Megaman E-tank boxes with t-shirts inside. Jon explained the initial idea was a hot dog cart. The event over time became an ice cream truck through a series of meetings between what Capcom wanted and what Jon’s I am 8-bit production’s team could produce.

It takes time to plan these events outs and Jon has done many events He did some launches at the Nintendo World Store in New York for games like Muramasa: The Demon Blade. He traveled to Germany for ich bin 8-bit.

Germany has an outlandish arts festival and ich bin 8-bit was a perfect edition to it. The art show consisted of post-it notes as pixels to form video game characters done by the artist Jude Buffum.

Jon later revealed he was a puppet master pulling the strings behind events I've been to or read about online. I found out he was behind a John K. (creator of Ren and Stimpy) event I attended many years ago here in LA. At the event John K had a Q &A about himself and his work and showed off Naked Beach Frenzy an unreleased Ren and Stimpy cartoon with lots of nudity.

 Turns out Jon set up the whole affair and a series of other cartoon showings and Q &A’s with their creators including one for Bruce Timm of Batman: The Animated series fame, Ralph Bashki and other famous cartoonists.

Jon brought up how he wanted to talk at the John K event as the host, but someone else took his spot. That had irked him. At the point we discussed how he gave a speech. He opened his small notebook and showed me a few bullet points he covered for an hour long speech. Jon explained he just looked at the few sentences and went on for an hour. Jon doesn’t need a teleprompter to speak, he speaks his mind.

Back to the cartoons. Jon knew these cartoonists because when he was a writer for many animated programs he hanged out with the artists and became their friend. His initial connection with these cartoonists was probably Gabe Swarr. Mr.Swarr worked for John K at Spumco, the animation house that made Ren & Stimpy and has since worked on many other animated shows. In my opinion he’s one of the best artists featured in i am 8-bit. It should be no surprise that Gabe was Jon’s first friend in LA. Jon spoke highly of him except, for his first attempt at drawing Mario for 8-bit. Jon was amazed at how boring it looked and told Gabe to do it again until it was a “Gabe Swarr Mario”.

Like I said Jon has so many artist friends because he has a lot of cartoonist friends. Cartoonists are simply artists who get paid on a more regular basis. These cartoonists were then connected to regular artist who sometimes aren’t paid at all and have regular jobs to cope with their lifestyles. How Jon got to know these cartoonists and become a writer is another short story titled “Jon is a Lucky Bastard".

Jonathan: How’d you become a writer?

Jon: Sat a food court and made friends with cartoonist.

Jonathan: Wait, what?

Jon: Sat at a food court the Sherman Oaks Galleria and made friends and talked about video games.

Yup, he sat at a food court and had lunch. Not the story I thought it would be. Again.

One of the cartoonists he made friends with was Ralph Bashki. Ralph was behind many adult oriented cartoons including Wizards and The Lord of the Rings animated feature, which is having a re-release with a hailstorm of commercials.

Jon spent a long time with Bashki spending somewhere around two years visiting him. This ended with a book Jon co-authored about the animator.

I asked Jon some other questions that I thought needed to be answered while we continued to dine at Umami burger. Just some bullet point Q & A.

We delved into Nerdcore for about one question. “Nerdcore is awesome, but it’s annual” said Jon, so it doesn’t mess with his schedule.

If I shot a calendar of naked girls in super hero outfits I’d probably try and do it more. That’s what Nerdcore does if you don’t know. They make calendars with nude models that nerds enjoy. They've covered super-heroes, sci-fi movies and horror movies so far.

Jokingly, I asked Jon if he knew what happened to Game Jew.

 He didn’t know. Game Jew was an internet sensation a few years back. His shtick was to dress up like Mario in red overalls and go to video game events. He also wrote songs about video games. He attended the second to last 8-bit show. I asked because Game Jew was in line at the DSI launch at City Walk and I thought it was a funny segway … it wasn’t.

Jon’s I am 8-Bit Productions was in charge of the event which had I am 8-bit artists on hand making t-shirts for attendees. It had a huge turnout and is considered a success by fans.”

Next I hit him with a question about those great flyers that 8-bit released for one of it's show. The flyers could be folded into mini- arcade machines.

Who created the 8-bit arcade flyer? “I did, but the artist Scott Campbell designed them, except one. There are 5 in all. You had to attend a foundation 5 party to get one Scott Campbell didn’t design.” Jon.

Check out the set.

Reveal for fashion fans. Jon told that there’s still going to be an 8-bit clothing line. I asked because of a Nintendo Power I read ages ago said there was going to be. “It’s just going to be a while”, Jon said.

I learned Jon is a man who needs to move. Jon paid for lunch by taking out his hamburger wallet.

 Yes, he has a Hamburger Wallet. I questioned him on that. He’s response,”

“I Love Hamburgers!”

Jon Gibson (1982-current)

I walked with Jon across the street we headed to a local business that silk screens shirts, Fresh Pressed.

I observed Jon working. He approached the owner as he did me, friendly and courteous and always asking questions. He wanted to go through everything about making a silk printed shirt and wanted to know the details on every little thing. Even after his first barrage of questions, he kept asking more questions. He was doing this to make sure everything would be ready. Jon is thorough about so much that even power requirements are necessary. He wanted to get everything perfect for the Lost Planet 2 Launch Party I later attended. It rocked by the way. Even after his initial talk he just kept asking more questions of the owner. He explained once again he wants to know everything he can about something new he learns.

After Fresh Pressed we headed to the secret I am 8-bit offices.

The i am 8 bit offices were a pleasure to visit. When I entered I was greeted by different pieces of art I had seen over the years online and from  past 8-bits.

 I saw a clutter of posters from different events I read about online. I saw a poster for The Wizard which had special showings at the Alamo draft house with the cast and crew present. Turns out Jon was behind that event, too. I actually rented that movie on Netflix because of this poster.

 I saw Jon had many awards. We didn’t really talk about them. He was humble about them.

I also spied some of the equipment used to make press kits and what not. It was slightly cluttered as Jon has a lot of events to plan and a lot of items to fabricate from scratch.

I noticed a familiar lunchbox that was on the office bookshelf.

 It was done by Amanda Visell whose art show I just attended at the Natural History Museum.

 She’s a regular artist for 8-bit. The lunchbox was also featured in the Megaman 10 commercial that 8-bit produced. Jon’s bookshelf in his office holds many books to reference so he can reproduce or fabricate items for any event. It’s kind of nice to look at examples of ancient maps or certain calligraphy to make an event seem more authentic.

While sitting around his office. He revealed it takes forever to make the excellent promotional items he gives in press kits. He asked me, with what seemed like hate, on how long it takes just to create a promotional item box. Like the Megaman E- Tank box or the Zombrex case Jon gave me as a parting gift. It took a while I guessed in my mind, because Jon was still talking about creating said box. It takes a very long time I found out. Very long.

Leaving with my Zombrex, a promotional item for Dead Rising, I thought damn that guy has an awesome job.

The job of doing anything he wants.

His face is not shown as he was disfigured by an unruly beard at the time and allowed no pictures of himself.

Buy  Jon’s book on Amazon  i am 8-bit: Art Inspired by Classic Videogames of the '80s  and sign up at the i am 8-bit site to get info on upcoming 8-bit events.

I'd like to thank my friend Angello P. for being my editor on this write up.