France
Chad Riley is a Paris-based writer and Executive Producer and comic book creator.
He is currently working on producing his first feature film and is in the process of writing issue #5 of the comic book mini-series GABRIEL.
There is not much you can say about Little Shop of Horrors that hasn't already been said a hundred times over in the decades since its Off-Broadway debut in 1982. The show has had many incarnations through the years, but the most popular version the general public probably knows the most about is the 1986 film...
Lead singer and guitarist Mike Mills brought his band California King to the Lincoln Park Tavern in Brooklyn last Friday night, and treated patrons to its unique blend of alternative rock and grunge. But even those labels might not do the band justice.
The Gallery Players in Brooklyn is set to open up its critically acclaimed Black Box New Play Festival on May 31st. The festival, which is the theater's signature season-ending venue of new plays, was designed to highlight the works of both new and established playwrights. Over the course of its great 15-year run, the festival...
The Lark Play Development Center presented a stage reading last night of Bekah Brunstetter's original play THE OREGON TRAIL as part of their Studio Retreat series. The play, which was directed by Sherri Kronfeld, tells the story of the personal and internal struggle of Jane and her great ancestor from the 19th Century known as...
It's deja vu all over again; again and again and again. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences announced their nominations for the 85th Academy Awards this morning in Los Angeles, proving once again that no one outside the industry cares about the same movies.
This wasn't your father's Academy Awards. Seth MacFarlane hosted the 85th Annual awards show live from Hollywood on Sunday night, and he provided a much needed boost to a ceremony that had been bleeding viewers as of late, and had grown stale. Last year, the Oscars played it safe by picking Academy veteran Billy Crystal...
What makes Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway shine in a way that's so different from Broadway is the risks they can take, and the artistic expression that comes along with those risks. Often times, Artistic Directors look for pieces that challenge societal norms and conventional, mainstream thought in an effort to craft a story that's...
1. If They Had Focused the Story About 20 minutes into the movie, I was already confused. And I'm a pretty big comic book geek. The addition of Peter Parker's parents (that's almost a nursery rhyme) was completely unnecessary. They literally added nothing to the plot of the story.
WildStar, a new MMORPG from Carbine Studios is set to launch to a PC near you on June 3. Its open beta went live on Thursday May 8 and continues until Sunday May 18. That's a full 10 days to ...
Yesterday, I gave a breakdown of what was good about WildStar, the new MMORPG launching from Carbine Studios on June 3 that is currently racing through open beta. Today, I'm going to take a look about what's bad about WildStar. As you read, please keep in mind that this is still the beta and that...
We come to it at last. The final WS entry of our time. Or at least today. For a little while. Anyway, on Monday I talked about The Good in WildStar, yesterday I covered The Bad, and today I'm going to close out my weekend experience with the new MMORPG (launching on June 3 in...
1. Because the "Sequel" Doesn't Seem Like a Sequel The most glaring example is the fact that Superman's name isn't even in the first position. Batman's is. That's troubling. It doesn't even feel like it's his movie. I know that the folks over at Warner Bros.
It's summertime, which means fun time and, for lots of people, movie time. With several blockbusters like Godzilla and X-Men: Days of Future Past gracing the screens between now and Labor Day, it's not hard to see why. The summer is when Hollywood always rolls out its heavy hitters that generate the most revenue.
When you pay money to see a movie titled GODZILLA, you expect to see Godzilla. Not what people are doing in relation to him. I swear, as much as I love Christopher Nolan's work, not everything needs to be so damn serious. It seems like we're in a neorealistic phase (I just made that word...
The 2014 Tony Awards were held last night at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. And while you can read the full list of winners here, I can sum up the entire evening with one word: ENERGY. ...
I've always been a big fan of the Fable series. My first introduction to the RPG genre was with BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic, a game that's still near and dear to my heart. That game then inspired me to go back and play all the other RPG classics that came before it.
As the video game industry's annual soiree in Los Angeles known as the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3 for everyone else) steamed through its second day of festivities, I was struck by an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia. Why, you might ask? Because of this: Nintendo will always occupy a soft spot in my heart even though...
As the video game industry's annual confab kicked off in Los Angeles on Monday, some of the biggest names in gaming took to the stage to highlight what's in store for everyone for the rest of the year. Those big names included Microsoft and Sony, the two console titans on the market.
So, the big news that broke yesterday was that Warner Bros. FINALLY after all this time seems to be getting their stuff together, realizing that they happen to own one of the most coveted entertainment companies with some of the most iconic IP's in the world.
MAJOR SPOILERS here. If you do not want to know what happened in last night's episode, STOP READING NOW. You've been warned. Okay, hopefully it is now just me, you and the people that don't care about spoilers. Game of Thrones. The show most known for ripping out the hearts and souls of all those...
The World Premiere of Lucas Kavner's (Fish Eye with Colt Coeur/HERE Arts Center; Love Money at Ars Nova) Carnival Kids, directed by Stephen Brackett and presented by Lesser America, opened at the TBG Theatre (312 West 36th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue) on Monday, June 9th.
Your summer just got steamier thanks to Horse Trade Theater Group's Summer Burlesque Blitz! The 2014 edition will feature Alice in Wonderland themed burlesque, a futuristic show from husband and wife duo Cherry Pitz and Handsome Brad, raw storytelling and striptease with your host Peter Aguero, and a new scripted Pinchbottom Burlesque show featuring sideshow...
Following an afternoon performance on Friday, June 20th at 4:00pm, the creative and producing team of The Bullpen Off-Broadway will host an industry Q&A with a panel featuring Writer/Performer Joe Assadourian, Director Richard Hoehler, Producer Eric Krebs, and Fortune Society Founder David Rothenberg.
This year saw the launch of two high profile MMORPGs in North America: Elder Scrolls Online by ZeniMax, and WildStar developed by Carbine. And while the latter is a new IP that's steadily building a fan base, the former is one of the most beloved IPs in the world, with a massive and loyal following....
So, last night saw the final season premiere of HBO's long-running series True Blood. And after seven years, it's been a long time coming. I've been a fan of the show since roughly the second season, (which prompted me to go back and watch the first) and have been along for all of the show's...
Soccer just might be catching on in the USA after all. At least according to Nielsen, that is. Sunday's exciting game between the United States and Portugal was seen by an average of 24.7 million viewers on ESPN and Univision. That matches it with the 24.7 million U.S.
Tim Burton's Batman just turned 25, having premiered on June 23, 1989 with much fanfare. At the time, it was probably the most hyped film ever. We were finally getting a serious Batman film! The Adam West campfest of the 60s television show would be a distant memory.
This July Horse Trade Theater Group will bring back the acclaimed work of their play development group, The Drafts, staging 8 play readings in 4 weeks! Each Tuesday, the first 25 pages of two new plays will be read for an audience, who will vote for their favorite of the night.
Here's a quick rundown of what has my interest this weekend in all things entertainment. At the Movies Transformers: Age of Extinction Director Michael Bay is at the reigns for the fourth time in this latest installment of the icons of our childhood, also known as Transformers.
It's becoming increasingly clear that the best parts of awards shows these days are their hosts. As was noted back on June 9th when Hugh Jackman hopped and skipped is way through Radio City Music Hall to open the Tonys. Chris Rock got into the act last night when he hosted the 2014 BET Awards....
Horse Trade Theater Group will present Dysfunctional Theatre Company's evening of short plays, A Clamour of Cabaret: A Volume of Vaudeville Varieties featuring stories written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Mim Granahan, Josh Hartung, Emily Edwards, and Patrick Storck directed by Eric Chase, Emily Edwards, Amy Overman, Justin Plowman, and Mim Granahan....
Yesterday brought some good news for fans of the cult comedy show COMMUNITY. Yahoo Screen has picked up the previously canceled series for 13 episodes from studio Sony Pictures Television. The entire cast and crew is coming with it. And while this is great news for fans of the show, it actually begs a...
Barrett Foa, best known to television audiences as Eric Beale on NCIS: LOS ANGELES, turns in a spirited and very engaging performance in his one-man show BUYER & CELLAR, currently showing at The Barrow Street Theater in New York's West Village until July 27th. The play, written by Jonathan Tolins and directed by Stephen Brackett,...
With news that beloved 80s anime ROBOTECH is headed to Kickstarter to raise money for a brand new series called ROBOTECH ACADEMY, we wanted to take a moment to recognize what a monumental impact this anime has had on the genre, particularly in the US. For those that may not be familiar with the show,...
Take a quick gander at what the Horse Trade Theater Group is doing in August COMEDY Sketch Block Wednesday, August 13 @ 9pm $8 Sketch Comedy meets Block Party. This monthly show features a guest host comedian, three guest sketch troupes and drinking. Come meet, mingle, and perform!
The folks over at IGN First unveiled a bevy of goods for the upcoming sci-fi shooter from Bungie, known to the uninitiated as DESTINY. You can head on over there to get the full skinny on everything that's in store for gamers when the game releases on consoles September 9.
The second teaser for THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY was released today. This one features a PSA from Panem's President Snow extolling the virtues of unity while being flanked by former Hunger Game winners Peeta Mellark and Johanna Mason. Except it doesn't go as planned. THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY flies into theaters November 21.
In what shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, the 2014 Primetime Emmy Award Nominations were just announced, with HBO's GAME OF THRONES leading the way with 19. You can see a full listing of the nominees here. In total, the pay TV network hauled in 99 nominations, more than any other network for the 14th...
Here's a quick look at what has my attention this weekend. At the Movies Dawn of the Planet of the Apes I'm not entirely sure that another Planet of the Apes film is necessary. There's already been seven of them, with this latest installment directed by Matt Reeves being the eighth.
Biblical epics are big business for Hollywood. They always have been. When you adjust the figures for inflation, two of the top 15 highest grossing films of all time are THE TEN COMMANDMENTS and BEN-HUR To the tune of $1.8 billion domestically, if we're being specific. That is why it's no surprise to see...
18 teams will enter, only one will come out on top, and only you the audience will determine the Grand Champion! Join Horse Trade Theater Group and Gotham City Improv at the first annual Down Under Improv Festival at UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1st Avenue and Avenue A) August 21-24.
Syfy has a new miniseries in the works from Jason Blum, the producer best known for bringing us low budget but entertaining (and genuinely creepy) horror flicks INSIDIOUS, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, and THE PURGE among others. The show is called ASCENSION, and it tells the story about a spaceship of 600 people that's launched on a covert...
In what is undoubtedly the sign of the times, Marvel Comics announced yesterday on THE VIEW that the iconic hammer-wielding son of Odin will now be female. And as the below tweet from Ryan Penagos states, this won't be a She-Hulk type of thing. Call it political correctness, call it keeping up with the changing...
Artist Alexy Zakharov has created what can only be described as a gorgeous new rendering of FUTURAMA'S intro skyline, complete with the Planet Express zipping by. Fans of course know that one of the saddest bits of TV news last year was our beloved Fry and friends getting the permanent axe.
Hard on the heels of the recent announcement that the new Thor will be female, Marvel has upped the ante yet again by revealing that the iconic leader of The Avengers is also getting a dramatic makeover. He is now black. This fall, Sam Wilson, known to fans as Steve Rogers' longtime friend and partner...
At the Movies The Purge: Anarchy The first movie was met with mixed to negative reviews. Despite an interesting concept, critics and moviegoers alike were disappointed that the film dissolved into little more than a home invasion flick, and not even a particularly good one at that.
First off, let's start with this. The below info, even though it's all rumor and completely unconfirmed as of yet, may contain spoilers. So, if you're the type of person that likes to go into a movie - particularly a Star Wars movie - as spoiler free as possible, STOP READING NOW.
The San Diego Comic-Con kicks off Thursday (with the preview starting tomorrow), which means this blog will be dedicated to covering it for the rest of the week. This is of course, the biggest showcase for the comic book industry, but it's really just become THE entertainment event today.
At a glance, the MMO behemoth seems to be doing just fine. Just last week, superdataresearch.com released a report showing how the game still made up 36% of the total market share for MMOs in 2013. To put that in perspective, that's more than the next seven games on its list combined.
As we kicked off this year's annual gathering of geeks, casual fans, collectors, and entertainment executives, the major studios and publishers came out swinging. Here's a quick breakdown of what went down on Thursday with more to come! DC Comics DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Dan DiDio revealed details about the direction DC Comics is taking with...
We'll be getting two new ones each day, so as they become available, they will be posted right here! These are absolutely GORGEOUS! UPDATED: Final two posters of Hulk and Thor added. ...
Comic-Con just got better as AMC has just premiered the Season 5 trailer of THE WALKING DEAD. The new season begins October 12. And it can't get here fast enough.
Pretty funny stuff here. The panel is currently underway. I'll have a full breakdown of the presentation up soon. But for now, enjoy the laughs. Gods know the cast need it on that show. &...
Viewers of HBO's GAME OF THRONES have heard stories of Prince Oberyn's large family and, as was just announed at the show's panel, many of them will be joining other new (and returning) characters in season five of the show. The new cast includes "Whale Rider's" Keisha Castle-Hughes as Oberyn's daughter Obara Sand.
Here's a quick recap of what went down yesterday at the San Diego Comic-Con. DC Comics The Warner Bros. panel is currently ongoing in Hall H, so some of the big news should be coming out later today. But we did have some info on the JUSTICE LEAGUE front yesterday.
The Warner Bros. panel wrapped up with director Zack Snyder dropping the first official image of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. And it's a thing of beauty. The costume looks very traditional with a touch of Badass thrown in. A bit toned down but that fits for the universe Snyder is crafting.
Director Zack Snyder was joined on stage at the Warner Bros. panel today at Comic-Con by stars Henry Cavill (Superman), Ben Affleck (Batman), and Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman). That was enough to get the excitement flowing in Hall H, but what really brought the house down was the first teaser.
Full Press Release: LEGENDARY SHOWCASES FUTURE FILM LINE-UP INCLUDING UNVEILING EXPANSION OF THE GODZILLA UNIVERSE AND THE COMPANY'S TAKE ON SKULL ISLAND Iconic Toho Monsters King Ghidorah, Mothra and Rodan Join Godzilla Skull Island-Inspired Feature Film also in the Works San Diego, CA - July 26, 2014 - Comic-Con: Legendary Entertainment presented in Hall...
The Legendary Entertainment panel at Comic-Con, including CEO Thomas Tull, was introduced with AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" playing in the background. Tull went on to state he wanted to bring something back to the SDCC for Godzilla following the success it had with the last film.
UPDATE: Aaaaand it's down. I'll try to find another one floating around on the web. But they don't tend to last long. UPDATE #2 New video courtesy of Cosmic Booknews. http://www.cosmicbooknews.com/video/bssa.mp4 Goosebumps for everyone involved.
The San Diego Comic-Con wrapped up yesterday, although all the good stuff happened between Thursday and Saturday, and the whole event was chock-full of major reveals and announcements. We had been covering all of these juicy tidbits in real time and tried to get them up here on the blog as fast as possible, but...
While busy promoting his upcoming Django/Zorro crossover comic from Dynamite Entertainment at Comic-Con this past weekend, Quentin Tarantino dropped some hints at what else he currently has in development. THE HATEFUL EIGHT will be his next film project, while KILL BILL VOLUME 3 has also been announced.
PLaybill recently released its list of seven shows coming to Broadway this fall that it's not too late to get tickets for. Some of the titles are well known and are considered classics with big name stars and established playwrights attached to them. But some are new works.
The latest Christopher Nolan film - and quite possibly the most anticipated movie of the year - has just released a new trailer. The pic stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain and follows a group of explorers who make use of a newly-discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel...
The Vicious Brothers first screened their latest pic, EXTRATERRESTRIAL, at the Tribeca Film Festival back in April. It certainly generated a lot of buzz, and now today they are hoping to continue building on that by releasing a brand new trailer of the SF horror film, complete with INCEPTION style bwoooooong and the constant threat of anal probing....
There's something about this film that has us all way too excited. It's probably because the last time we saw Michael Keaton as a superhero was in 1992, when he played Batman in Tim Burton's BATMAN RETURNS (an underrated film, by the way). BIRDMAN has just released a new trailer and it's a thing...
It's the day for trailers, apparently, as Disney has just gotten into the act by releasing the first official trailer for the highly-anticipated film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name. INTO THE WOODS releases December 25 and stars Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp and Anna Kendrick.
At the Movies Duh. Early reports have indicated that GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY saw the largest Thursday box office opening in history. Nuff said. On Television The Great Martian War World War I is reimagined in documentary style as a battle between humans and aliens. This actually sounds very cool and really creative.
Marvel Studios has just released our first look at Thanos, the big bad guy seen briefly in a post credits scene of THE AVENGERS. Thanos has a rich history in the Marvel Universe, dating back to February 1973 when he first appeared in IRON MAN #55. He was created by writer/artist Jim Starlin.
Marvel's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY reversed a slumping summer box office by hauling in an out-of-this-world $94 million this weekend. It's by far the biggest debut ever for an August release; easily topping the previous record holder, THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, which opened to $69.3 million back in 2007.
First look at Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock in DAREDEVIL courtesy of Craig Engler via Instagram. DAREDEVIL will premiere on Netflix next year with 13 episodes. Synopsis: "Marvel's Daredevil" follows the journey of Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), who was blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, now fighting against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as...
It's one of the more odd scandals in art history, and the Oscar season is about to see the telling of it on the big screen. Tim Burton turns his own big eyes to to the upcoming BIG EYES whic...
We've seen Ben Affleck as Batman, and now we get see him as his billionaire alter-ego Bruce Wayne, thanks to a local Detroit television station. There's also a lot of other images that include the below photo of some wreckage and what appears to be a pretty big explosion of some kind.
And it's pitch perfect. Fresh off of his big weekend with GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, Chris Pratt was a guest on DJ Whoo Kid's Sirius XM hip-hop station Shade45 to promote the film, when the host asked him what type of music he liked. Pratt responded thusly, If he could have dropped the mic, we're sure...
Remember when we ran a piece about a month ago detailing three ways that network television is becoming irrelevant? Variety has practically just confirmed this. The trade magazine ran an article on Tuesday proclaiming that the celebrities of YouTube are now more popular than mainstream TV and movie stars among US teens.
At the Movies Not getting particularly good reviews, but still might be worth seeing. Just leave your childhood at the door. Ah, who are we kidding, just go see GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY again. On Television MONUMENTAL MYSTERIES The story of an ambitious scientist trying to play god is explored at the University of California...
Every year around this time, we get excited about the Discovery Channel's annual trek into the ocean depths to shed light on nature's most feared predator. First premiering on July 17, 1988, Shark Week is now the longest running programming event in cable television history. What began as a way to raise awareness and respect...
Horse Trade will present a FRIGID New York production of Battalion Theatre's The Drunken City by Adam Brock, September 11th through 28th at UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1st Avenue and Avenue A). The production will be directed by Emma Johnson and feature Kullan Edberg (The Understudy at The Kraine), Daniel Gonon...
Oscar winner and comedian Robin Williams died this morning at 63 in California home of an apparent suicide. His rep released this statement: "Robin Williams passed away this morning. He has been battling severe depression of late. This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve...
With the sudden and tragic news yesterday of actor/comedian Robin Williams' death, the internet was instantly taken over by tributes and lists of everyone's favorite Robin Williams movie and/or moment. It seems that everyone, famous or not, young or old, was impacted by his passing in some way.
BioWare has just announced its latest RPG, which they have been cryptically teasing since E3. The game is called SHADOW REALMS and is described as an action-RPG set in a "modern fantasy world." Which honestly sounds a lot like THE SECRET WORLD, one of the most tragically underrated MMORPGs of all time.
Stand Up and Take Your Clothes Off! is a fast paced, sexy show, bursting with talent. Each month will feature NYC's funniest female comics and sassiest burlesque acts, hosted by comedian Kerryn Feehan and burlesque performer Kitten Kent, Girl Detective with DJ Stevie Cee. September's show will feature stand-up by Kerryn Feehan, Carolina Hidalgo, Tiana...
Gamescom 2014, the biggest video game conference in Europe, rivaled only by E3, is currently underway in Cologne, Germany. Yesterday, we gave you a peek at the new offering from BioWare Austin coming to PCs sometime next year called Shadow Realms. Today, we're going to be showing some snippets of the things we're most...
At the Movies The Expendables 3 The poster alone takes up about 500 pixels. But here's to hoping that its performance at the weekend box office is just as robust. On Television Shark Week 2014 Shark Week wraps up this weekend on Discovery Channel. Check here for a complete program listing.
Today we get a first look at what COULD be what Han Solo will look like in Episode VII, courtesy of Indie Revolver. And the first thing that comes to mind is, "C'mon Han ol' buddy, don't let me down!" Well, that and "DAMN GOOD TO SEE YOU, BOY!"
As film and television continue to go through a lot of cultural change as more and more people are wanting to see more diversity both in front of and behind the camera, the world of theater continues to be ahead of the curve. The stage has always been the place to go to see creativity...
The FXX Network has launched their EVERY. SIMPSON. EVER. marathon today as a tribute to the longest running show in US history appearing on the channel this fall. The marathon started this morning at 10:30AM EST and will last until Labor Day. All of the Treehouse of Horrors episodes will be included as well as...
At the Movies The long anticipated sequel to Robert Rodriguez' 2005 SIN CITY is released today. Early reviews are mixed, but don't let that stop you from seeing Eva Green in a nightie. And the movie too. On Television THE SIMPSONS marathon known as EVERY. SIMPSONS. EVER. continues on FXX this weekend.
We've had 24 hours to digest it and held off making a snap post right after the show. But now that we've had a full day to think about it and have read through the reactions of everyone, fans and critics alike, we're ready to give our TRUE BLOOD postmortem.
Suffice it to say BREAKING BAD had a big night at the 66th annual Emmy Awards, held Monday night at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The AMC drama series took home five Emmys including Outstanding Drama Series. And while the show, executive produced by Vince Gilligan, absolutely deserved its accolades (it was seriously...
Here we go! Jennifer Lawrence was last seen in the trailer arriving in the District 13 rebel stronghold Now, Lionsgate has revealed a look at the warriors who will be helping the Mockingjay fight the revolution against the Capitol in THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 1.
Join writer/performer Clay McLeod Chapman (Hostage Song with Kyle Jarrow; SCKBSTD with Bruce Hornsby), performers Hanna Cheek (Mac Rogers' Sovereign with Gideon Productions; GOODBAR with Waterwell; named one of Time Out NY's 'Future Legends of NYC Theatre' in 2013), Abe Goldfarb (I Hope They Serve Beer on Broadway), Brian Silliman (2014 NYIT Award Nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor in Dark Water with MTWorks; Kill Shakespeare with Gideon Productions), andKatie Hartman (Skinny Bitch Jesus...
Labor Day Weekend marked the end of the summer box office season, and for Hollywood it couldn't have come fast enough. According to Variety, ticket sales were down 15% from last year, the worst showing for Hollywood in nearly a decade. Part of the reason for that is because, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY notwithstanding,...
Joan Rivers, a comedian and entertainer probably best known for saying pretty much whatever she thinks, and for her uncanny ability to reinvent herself, died September 4 in New York City. She was 81. "It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers," her daughter Melissa Rivers said in...
At the Movies FORREST GUMP It's been 20 years since the Tom Hanks classic was released in theaters. And in honor of this anniversary, the film is being re-released across the country in IMAX houses everywhere. Check your local listings for details and see the world one more time through the eyes of Forrest Gump....
IGN just published a report today that reveals the current trends of the US PC gaming population. And while the numbers themselves don't really show anything too shocking, they do confirm a few things worth noting. First, the group which is sometimes dispassionately known as "casuals" makes up by far the largest group at 56%...
STAR WARS EPISODE VII is still over a year away from release, but that of course hasn't stopped the rumor mill from kicking into overdrive. In fact, the more time goes by, the more rumors will be leaking out. It's only natural after all. This latest piece of info comes from the folks over at...
It's been a very interesting month here at TGB. Sorry for the absence, but it was for a good reason. We've moved locations from New York City to Los Angeles. The last four weeks have been consumed by that move, as you can well imagine. Moving across the country is pretty stressful, to say the...
Courtesy of Doritos. The Choice will be made November 21.
You've undoubtedly seen the news this week. Marvel announced their slate of upcoming films - otherwise known as Phase 3 - and there was much rejoicing to be had around the internet. You can view the full list of projects here. The overwhelming consensus was that Marvel President Kevin Feige and the folks at his superhero company effectively...
Intrepid journalist Brenda Mae dissects the latest news across the Unseen World
Once upon a time, Sam Raimi set all kinds of box office records and geek hearts atwitter with the first big screen adaption of our favorite webslinger with 2002's Spider-Man. It was both a critical and financial success. He then followed up that strong first entry with 2004's Spider-Man 2, which equally lit up the...
You may have already heard the news, but ICYMI, HBO has just green-lit J.J. Abrams' Westworld series. The skein will be a reboot of Michael Crichton's cult classic from 1973 about robots gone bad in an amusement park. The network announced the series launch via Twitter, with a pretty creepy Vine confirming the 2015 date....
BioWare has dropped the final trailer for the third installment of their acclaimed dark fantasy series, which was (finally) released today in North America, and November 20 in Europe. Check it out: The game so far is getting stellar reviews, only serving to add to the hype machine.
What a day for movies and geeks! On the day when Disney announced the title of the next Star Wars movie, Warner Bros. has released the latest and greatest trailer for Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES. And the word epic immediately springs to mind.
It's as if millions of geek voices cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. That would be the sound of the internet exploding right about now. The seventh installment of our beloved Star Wars saga has officially wrapped shooting, and with it came the announcement of its subtitle: THE FORCE AWAKENS.
In case you've been sleeping under a rock, Christopher Nolan's sci-fi epic INTERSTELLAR opens this week around the country. Early reviews have been somewhat mixed, but the word from Nolan's contemporaries is that the movie is a spectacle in more ways than one. Here's a sample: And then there's this gem which comes...
By Chelsea Evara August 19, 2014 Washington, DC - The world is such a big beautiful place! And we're SOOO lucky to live in a city that attracts its best and brightest! Did you know that there's a record number of international students studying in the US right now?
By Truman Wosnak August 26, 2014 WASHINGTON, DC - I started thinking about odd jobs that pay well as an alternative to office work, which I find nerve wracking. It always stresses me out. So I said to myself "Well, Truman you don't have to work in an office.
By Woody Wilson July 29, 2014 WASHINGTON, DC - The San Diego Comic-Con just wrapped up. It's an annual event that draws hundreds of thousands of geeks, fans and entertainment executives to the San Diego Convention Center to celebrate and promote pretty much anything and everything in comics and pop culture.
One thing that separates the District from many other major American cities (aside from being the Nation's Capital, of course) is the vitality of its invigorating art scene. From awe inspiring art galleries and museums, to abundant offerings of the performing arts, DC has it all, and then some.
By Hillary Kawahara July 21, 2014 WASHINGTON, DC - I can't remember the last time I was on Facebook for anything other than business. Whenever I share something from one of my 10 blogs (which you should all totally be following!) it automatically goes to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Tumblr.
By Ed Woodward July 14, 2014 WASHINGTON, DC - That's what I want to know. And I'm going to get to the bottom of it. In what could be bigger than the IRS scandal or even Whitewatergate, Congress is editing Wikipedia pages! (Editor's note: Watergate and Whitewater are two different scandals).
WASHINGTON, DC - Do you remember that one scene from The Matrix movie when Agent Smith has Morpheus hostage and he's trying to get information out of him? Remember how Smith tells him that he's recently had a revelation about humans? How they all follow the exact same pattern as a virus?
It's my favorite time of year yet again: that special day when we all come together as Americans and celebrate our country's founding by combining extreme patriotism with heavy drinking and incendiary devices. (Don't do that!!)
By Chelsea Evara June 24, 2014 WASHINGTON, DC - One day, while browsing Elle Magazine (oh, their manicure tips are miraculous!!!) I saw a sight to behold: the 10 Most Powerful Women in DC. Of course, I immediately thought about my Editor-In-Chief, Martha Warrington. She is totally going to be on a list like this someday.
Savvy job seekers have jumped on the app wagon to get a digital edge in our digital world. Here are our reporter's fave Mobile apps let you search for positions 24/7, everywhere you are. We've asked three of our resident interns here at The WISHington Post to give their opinions on which ones serve their lifestyles the best.
Last week we talked about the 5 BEST places to work in DC, so it was only natural for us to take a look at the other side of the coin this week. According to Glassdoor.com, which rates companies based on employee reviews, among other factors, these are the 5 WORST places to work, not just in DC, but anywhere.
Wether you are in communications or technology, companies below offer a world of opportunity. Which one is your dream come true? With 67 offices and over 4,800 employees, the company provides its services to more than 15 industries through about 40 practice and expertise areas (including digital, research insight, financial communications and investor relations, corporate affairs, consumer marketing, litigation and public affairs).
Here you are, a recent college graduate ready to begin your career path and eager to make a difference. That's what this moment is all about, and that's what the last four years have been all about. And now you're ready to get into politics. Or are you?
According to internships.com, companies are hiring more interns today than they ever have before. In fact, 56% are planning to hire more interns this year, while 62% are planning to implement a more structured program. That's up from 48% a year ago. You are in demand, big time.
The times ahead are changing. As summer internships begin, it may mark the beginning of the end of the unpaid internship. Thanks to a large number of lawsuits, students and employers alike have been forced to define what exactly an internship is for all time, who it benefits, what the expectations are, and what should and shouldn't be offered to make the internship legal.
The Smithsonian is already known for being seriously amazing, as their website attests (as well as tens of millions of visitors every year), but there's an actual reason for that sentiment other than the sheer spectacle of what you can see there. The Smithsonian also happens to be one of the best places to volunteer.
Of course, we'd be remiss if we didn't start with this one. This is WISH after all. Even though internships are under all kinds of scrutiny today for basically having free labor, they remain one of the best ways you can spend your summer. The numbers bear that out.
Your years living with someone has (hopefully) taught you some good habits and also what you like and dislike. Take this with you as you venture out into the real world and get your first apartment. Chances are, you might have to have a roommate when you are starting out.
It may have been fun when you first got to college, but now those awkward roommate moments (you know the ones) and general lack of personal space are getting to you. Luckily, we have some tips on how to land your first pad after graduation. Take a peak and start planning.
Washington, DC consistently ranks near the top of U.S. cities for job growth and creation, and it doesn't show any signs of slowing down. A number of recent studies have shown that the metro area will add more than 1 million jobs over the next two decades. One...million!
Once upon a time, we gave some basic tips on how to start building your own personal network. Everything from who could be a potential contact, to what to say and where to go, was covered. However, sometimes knowing what NOT to do can be just as - if not more - effective in teaching you the ropes.
It's that time of year again. The time when both basketball and non-basketball fans alike ready their brackets for the next two weeks of sheer madness, otherwise known as the Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament.
Here's a scary thought: the moment you graduate you are a freshman again, a freshman in the school of life. Your status clock resets to zero and it can be hard to find your own way with no academic adviser or a professor to help you out when things get tough.
You've seen the news reports. Read about the protests, perhaps even seen them or been to one. The crisis in Ukraine, a country that is important not only to Russia (who has cultural and ethnic ties to Crimea) but to the rest of Europe, the United States, and the global economy as a whole.
Last year, the Pew Internet and American Life Project conducted an exhaustive study about the effects of social media on the political landscape. The full results can be viewed by heading over to their website at pewinternet.org. The results were quite eye-opening, and it showed just how much the Digital Age has changed and influenced political engagement.
It's been said before and it will be said again...and again...and again. And then it will be said one more time: Clean up your social media channels! Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. They are all being checked by potential employers.
There have been numerous topics on here and elsewhere discussing ways to make yourself look good to potential employers and how you can make a good first impression. But the one thing in all of this that has probably been overlooked just happens to be the most important: how you see yourself.
Last week, we talked briefly about how the President wants to shake up the higher education system by holding them accountable for both performance and how they help to reign in soaring tuition costs.
Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University summed up the State of the Union address like this: "A State of the Union speech, whether something goes in the speech or not, is not just about what sounds good to the audience, but political choices like, 'If we do that, it might make it harder to pass what we want."
Let's start this off with a fun fact. The great hero of the Trojan War, Odysseus, had a trusted guardian to watch over his son Telemachus while he was away fighting the war. That guardian's name was Mentor. (Funner fact: Mentor was often Athena in disguise who was the goddess of wisdom....foreshadowing.)
There will undoubtedly come a time in your career when you feel it's time to move on. It can be a difficult decision to make. Even if you dislike your job and pretty much everything about it, resigning can still be difficult to pull off tactfully, especially if you are about to be fired.
As you go through your (hopefully realistic) resolutions and plan out how you're going to accomplish your goals this year, there are some great networking opportunities coming up that you should definitely take advantage of. It will not only help you start things off on the right foot, but help keep those networking skills up to snuff, which should always be an ongoing goal.
Well, it's that time of year again. A new year, in fact. A time to look forward and plan, to not only set new goals but a way to meet them. But the trick is to set realistic goals, and to not set yourself up for disappointment.
There are two things about the holidays that make the District a wonderful place to be. First, congress is out of town (that's probably the best thing). And second, few places in America celebrate Christmas the way the nation's capital does.
It's been a grueling congressional session. With only about a week left before the 113th Congress (mercifully) comes to a close, let's pause and take a look at what this congress has left to do before closing out the year.
It's that time of year again. The holidays are upon us and the semester is ending, which means it can be a pretty crazy busy time of year for students. Not only are you getting ready to go home, and doing some holiday shopping, but you're cramming for finals.
It's that time of year again. The holidays are upon us and the semester is ending, which means it can be a pretty crazy busy time of year for students. Not only are you getting ready to go home, and doing some holiday shopping, but you're cramming for finals.
Here's a pop quiz just to get you ready for Finals. When did the first internships start? Don't stop reading this to Google the answer. We'll give you a hint: William the Conqueror sat on the throne in England. Or at least, he could have.
If you are spending Thanksgiving in the District this year, then you're lucky. There are a lot of wonderful things to do in the nation's capital as we kick off the holiday season. So, sit back and take a gander through the below list to get some ideas of some fun and cool things to do during the Thanksgiving weekend.
Recruiters are inundated with resumes, emails, recommendations, phone calls and of course, the task of conducting job interviews every single day. It gets to the point where many employers dread giving interviews because they not only have to do so many of them (familiarity breeds contempt), but also because the majority of answers given by applicants are almost always the same.
One of the key takeaways in last week's election results, (other then Chris Christie's weight and the presidency) was the minimum wage increase in New Jersey. The state voted to raise its hourly minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.25.
It might sound strange, but something major and historic took place on October 1st, and it wasn't just the government shutdown. It was actually the roll out of the nation's first health care law, the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) designed to make sure every American has health insurance (whether or not it actually does that is an entirely different debate).
With the government shutdown, the threat of default and the general partisan mood in Washington, the District has been pretty scary over the last month or so. But Halloween brings a whole different flavor of scary. And it's the fun kind.
The latest government shutdown and debt ceiling drama really highlighted the current dysfunction in American politics. One party is defined by its ideology while the other is united against it. Swap the party names every few decades or so and the latter still applies. But this might actually be a blessing in disguise.
It's been all over the news lately. The debt ceiling. CNN even has a countdown clock till we hit it, like some dramatic movie, ticking down the time till the asteroid hits the economy. The debt ceiling. Something hovering over us all like some sort of magical barrier desperately saving us from ourselves.
If you live in Washington D.C. and have been affected by the government shutdown (and who in the District hasn't) now would actually be a great time to take advantage of your newfound time off.
Welcome to the 2013 Government Shutdown Extravaganza! Because Democrats and Republicans couldn't agree on how the U.S. should pay its bills, the federal government is in lockdown as of today. And this could be a real bad time since the economy is finally showing signs of life. Why?
Though we've talked about unpaid internships before, it was done in a much broader sense. But the truth is nowhere is this debate more relevant than in government - specifically congress - where barely a third of US Senators pay their interns.
So, you've landed an impressive new internship in congress, moved into a decent pad, and figured out the Metro. Now's there's only one (albeit monumentally important) thing left to do: keep from becoming an example of what not to do.
Washington, D.C. is changing-from top to bottom. So much so, that it is now even challenging Los Angeles and Chicago for the prestigious title of Second City, as it is becoming more recognized as an epicenter of political and cultural life.
As you head back to school this fall, there's something you should try to keep in mind. You spent the summer in Washington, D.C. working as an intern, giving you a variety of unique perspectives with the people that help shape public policy. And that is something that's specific to YOU.
So you've just completed your summer internship and now have eyes on getting a job. And you might have heard that a good way to do that is by getting a letter of recommendation from your current boss. However, there might be one thing you need to consider.
There is one simple fact of college life that has been true since colleges existed. Students want cheap food, and they want to know where to find it. That's especially true in a town like DC, where the burgeoning restaurant scene might actually be enough to prevent a government shutdown.
There's one aspect to job hunting that is just as important as your personal brand, good networking skills and having a good resume. But it's not nearly as exciting as those. It's learning how to deal with rejection.
Did you see it? Last week in DC something rare and really cool happened. Congress passed a major piece of public policy and sent it to the president's desk - by an overwhelming bipartisan majority. And the piece of public policy that went through? It was none other than the much needed student loan bill.
Well, it's that time of year again. The time of year you need to start thinking about the new school year and wrapping up all your summer activities. And don't hate us for pointing that out. We just want you to get a jump on the Fall semester.
As an intern, there are a number of things you will learn on the job. For example, one DC-based think tank requires their interns to complete a study about something specifically related to the organization, then present their findings to everyone. It's part of the educational requirement of the internship, but it's more than that.
Unpaid internships have been in the news a lot lately, and not necessarily for good things. On June 11th, a judge ruled Fox Searchlight violated minimum wage laws by not paying their interns. Emboldened by this ruling, plaintiffs filed new lawsuits on June 14th and June 21st against Conde Nast and Gawker Media respectively.
Last week we gave you a peek at some pretty cool resumes that all garnered attention, jobs, and in some cases even went viral. But as the old saying goes, it's often substance over style that will carry the day - and your career.
In The Basic Patterns of Plot, Foster-Harris contends that there are only three main storytelling plots in the world. Which is probably why we seem to see the same thing on television and at the movies over and over again, but that's beside the point.
Social media is as ubiquitous as oxygen nowadays, and some would say just as necessary. Although breathing might be a tad more important (arguably). And as a recent grad, you've been around it your entire life. But did you know that, according to Forbes Magazine, 37% of employers actively employ social media to screen prospective candidates?
Okay, so you've just recently graduated from college and have just started out on your career path. Last week, we talked about how interning for success can be the first and most important step on your career path.
Every summer, tens of thousands of interns make their way to DC to begin following the Yellow Brick Road (sometimes called K Street) of their young career paths. The ultimate destination is, of course, landing a job. The path can sometimes be windy and tricky and even a bit scary, especially if it's your first time.
The legendary head football coach of the Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi, said "When you go into the end zone, act like you've been there before." It's now a pretty common saying that essentially just means, be cool.
Though you may not be aware of it, there is one thing you are probably doing on a daily basis that is very important to setting your career path. You do it every time you make a new friend, mingle at a party, or attend any social event.
Washington D.C. is a National Treasure of things to see and do, many of which are free or nearly free. Now that you've gotten settled into your internship, you'll have plenty of time to see all of it. Here's a quick list of inexpensive and free things to do that don't require a 2/3 majority.
Making the change to living in your OWN first apartment can be daunting, intimidating, liberating and fulfilling all at the same time. (And sometimes in that order.) But there are things you can do that will help bring up those feelings of liberation and fulfillment a bit more.
Some are obvious, some not so much. Last week, we talked a little bit about personal branding and ways to make yourself stand out in a line of applicants. This week we're going to talk about ways to make sure you don't stand out for the wrong reasons.
And the answer to it lies in designing your own personal brand. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, once said " Your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room." That was how he defined personal branding. Quite simply, it's how people perceive you.
Simpsons fans rejoice. The Simpsons World App is now live. And Chief Wiggum and Reverend Lovejoy never looked better. The new Simpsons World app and portal, which launched today, is the ultimate Simpsons fan's experience. Every episode of the long-running television show is available on a streaming player, with every in-joke and uncredited guest star...
