the best-looking (and structurally interesting) subway stations
london’s underground became the first subway system in the world when it began operation in 1863. since then, underground subways have been built in almost every major city of the world. from new york and paris to hong kong and dubai, subways are an essential part of public transportation in cities. within these systems, architecture plays a big role in defining the environment of the subway. here is a collection of some of the most architecturally interesting subway stations. (via designboom)
us air force, past science fiction: first america's army, then transformers, now this
The United States Air Force has launched a television advertising campaign, with three commercials demonstrating that technology, once thought to be science fiction, is actually being used by the Air Force today. Each commercial spot is portrayed in a cinematic, sci-fi environment and then reveals in the end that these missions are not science fiction, but rather what the men and women in the Air Force do every day. (the inspiration room via io9)
mass effect 2: the new reveals
January 20th, 2010, the most scandalous sabotage masqueraded as a video game sequel makes a dent in the universe. Workflow and creativity will perish, yet, spacefaring will reach unprecedented climax and whatnot. I wouldn't have thought I'd be interested in Mass Effect 2, although I've spent quite some time with the first installment, enjoyed the fights, enjoyed its shattered, almost traditionally futuristic universe, the characters and the character interactions that are usually dramatically shallow. Not this time.
Then I took a look at the new cinematic teaser trailer and I had to make a few calculations to see if the new project we've scheduled for the beginning of February coincides with the release date. Good news, it doesn't, we're just finishing the big project to enjoy a few days off in the universe which is, bit of a cliché, carefully butchered again by a new slaver species.
If you're even a bit of a SF fan, you'll go head over heels drooling for this voice actor star cast reveal (almost Japanese in its unstructured nonsense, this phrase) video (see?) - Tricia Helfer and Michael Hogan from the Battlestar Galactica series, Adam Baldwin of Firefly, Carrie-Anne Moss of the Matrix series, Martin Sheen, Keith David, the lovely Yvonne Strahovski - seems like a strong, if not directly overkill team to me. No more words, check the videos - a bit of an introduction to the new ladies, the much-debated Subject Zero and Samara and the already familiar and beloved Tali. This game comes with the full approval of the PDHQ!
a hét legkeményebb thai akciófilm, amit nem láttál: a nőt verheted, csak a buddhának ne fájjon
Akrobatikus muay thai akciófilmeket nézni olyan, mintha karikás ostorral kapnád el a felszálló Boeinget, hogy a légörvény hosszú másodpercek után pont a heves és feszengő stewardess éhes szájába repítsen: drámaian valószerűtlen és egyben ördögien hatásos. A könyökre, térdre és egyszerű brutalitásra komponált thai harcművészet olyan egyszerűen - megvan, hogy amikor valami annyira tiszta és egyértelmű, csak nevetni tudsz rajta? - sajátította ki magának a producerekkel és kokainnal teletömött ún. kreatív hotelszobákat, ahogyan Jet Li söpri tisztára az edzőtermet a japán mételytől >a Fist of Legend egyik klasszikus jelenetében.
A 2003-ban filmvászonra került ONG-BAK (vicces, a Mátrix-trilógia ugyanebben az évben öli meg a cyberpunkot, ennél mainstreamebb már nem lehet, hogy apádtól az államig mindenki átbasz téged, Indiának meg igaza volt azzal, hogy az illúzió örök, igaz, a jógik gyökereket rágnak, randák a fogaik és húgycsövön keresztül szívják fel az esővizet, ha kell), térjünk vissza, az ONG-BAK megmutatta ugyanis az európai producereknek, hogy ezt kell lemásolni ötezerszer, nem a párizsi taxisofőrökben meg a hongkongi akciófilmek európai átirataiban van a pénz. Ha nem nézted meg a videót, nézd meg, irigykedj, bonts egy sört, gyere vissza. Európának, Kínának, az öregedő Jackie Chan - Jet Li - Donnie Yen hármasnak int be órmotlant Tony Jaa, az emberek vállán szaladó, üveglapok között szaltózó thai népi hős, akit rohamrendőrök helyett küldenél be tüntetésre és utána eladnád élő egyenes adásban az egészet a vezető hírcsatornának, csak a reklámfelület egy percéből vehetnél új májat, hasnyálmirigyet és teljes arcplasztikát.
Mögötte int be szintén a harci koreográfiákat kiötlő ex-kaszkadőr Panna Rittikrai és a film rendezője, Prachya Pinkaew, akik a thai akciófilmek új generációját szülték egész menő trónusra: Luc Besson is csak uncredited executive producerként tudott bekerülni az IMDB-re, neki köszönhetően indult be az európai terjesztés. Az alábbiakban: hét thai akciófilm, amit (remélhetőleg) nem láttál, készülj.
Read more
battle suits and sex: the very first tron movie still & new poster
Disney got legendary right in 1982 with TRON, whatever cyberpunk ripoff vision of the Far East future they wanted to depict with Surrogates, they failed tremendously and we could have gotten the fair point of growing your own vegetables in the back garden far easier. (See Gamer, they could get the present right. With Dexter, even. But I'm dragging myself into the 2009 retrospective article you'll get in a few days. So, hush.) The new image twosome is brought to you by none other than IO9 and their chirpy comments about battle suits and sex. (via io9)
2009 holiday top 10 cosplay hotties
Present, from me to you. Can't deny the popularity of the cosplay posts - especially the cosplay cleavage one back at Kotaku - so it's really high time I post something I've been digging after for a long time, a bouquet of ten cosplay hotties excluding those famous beautés found in the slobsofgaming's eleven hot cosplayers list. In order of appearance: Aya Kiguchi, Kipi, Marie Claude Bourbonnais, Vikki Blows, Kanda Midori, Paranoiko, Alodia Gosiengfiao, Saya and someone whose identity we couldn't pinpoint. Good luck with whatever you end up doing with this tenner.
Read more
minus 012, fridge baby moodsetters and the second way out
Adrianne Curry, first winner of America's Next Top Model posts naked picture of herself playing World of Warcraft. (via kotaku)
Urban freestyle teenager romp in a generously Finnish manner, timetravelling without moving back to the end of the nineties, the fuzzy door between warehouse couture and street physical bubble aura manipulation, as presented by the nightshift of the Pacebreaker radio crew.
The webstore of Warren Ellis and his accomplices, including the unholy "Where's My Fucking Coffee" device.
denmark pavillion for shanghai expo 2010 / moan
BIG’s latest project (in collaboration with Arup and 2+1), the Danish Pavilion for the Shanghai 2010 Expo (...) takes the best of living in Copenhagen and placing it on China for visitors to experience.
Basically, the pavilion is a big loop on which visitors ride around on one of the 1,500 bikes available at the entrance, a chance to experience the Danish urban way. At the center of the pavilion there’s a big pool with fresh water from Copenhagen’s harbor, on which visitors can even swim. (via archdaily via @honeymooncroon)
SLINGERS: retro-futuristic action series, think firefly and cowboy bebop
“Slingers” could be summed up as Sizemore’s vision of Oceans 11 (we’re talking old school here) meets AI: Artificial Intelligence. Part heist, part drama, part action, it’s a gorgeously realized mix of 60s cool and futuristic design. The only problem is that this show isn’t off the ground yet. (via quietearth.us)
universal soldier: regeneration trailer
When a team of former Soviet radicals seizes Chernobyl and threatens to unleash a lethal cloud of radioactive gas one hundred times deadlier than Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined, the US military brings in a bio-mechanically enhanced super soldier, Luc Deveraux (Jean-Claude Van Damme), to foil the plot.
As Deveraux fights his way into the plant, he faces off with his now revived former nemesis, Andrew Scott (Dolph Lundgren), and a newly ‘updated’ Next Generation Unisol (former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski), in a battle of battles, and must save the day. (via quietearth.us)
2b - the era of flesh is over
Set in the near future, 2B portrays a familiar decaying world on the cusp of great transformation and awesome wonders. The script is based upon real science and evolving technologies. When the world's first transhuman is created by a renegade corporate CEO and bioscientist, the foundations of society's beliefs are threatened in a transhuman world where man merges with technology. The ‘technohuman’ conundrum is the hottest and most controversial topic of this century. This film is an entertainment designed to jump-start the conversation about the moral and religious questions raised by the bio-tech revolution. What if you could die and live forever?
art: the freaky singing animatronic heads
These creepily realistic face molds are attached to servos controlled by computer. They come from the twisted mind of artist, Nathaniel Mellor, and are part of an art piece being sold at Art Basel Miami Beach 2009 for $75K. (via gizmodo via metamute)
the fish that survived deep-frying. in china. it survived.
This is purely to gross you out and, simultaneously, to bring me more visitors who would actually stick here. And because the PDHQ embraces weird food in its entirety. Except for torture victims (like the one above) and fish with eyes. And their unlucky combination, such as above. (via eat me daily via @tlvlp)
scifi warrior queen cage match portrait
One of the most pressing questions for young women who are about to enter the warrior battle ring for the first time is what to wear. What goes with armor? Luckily, fashion designer Rachel Freire has the answer. (via io9)
exam: the killing room meets the saw series
Eight talented candidates have reached the final stage of selection to join the ranks of a mysterious and powerful corporation. Entering a windowless room, an Invigilator gives them eighty minutes to answer one simple question. He outlines three rules they must obey or be disqualified: don't talk to him or the armed guard by the door, don't spoil their papers and don't leave the room. He starts the clock and leaves.
The candidates turn over their question papers, only to find they're completely blank...
via io9, IN THEATERS FROM 2010 JAN 8sin and punishment 2
One game even I continually neglected to mention over the course of E3 -- not for lack of interest, but simply from the constant torrent of incoming games -- was Sin and Punishment 2, which, as you can see from the trailer above, is looking as fantastic and ephemerally pastel as it should.
The game is, of course, the sequel to the Nintendo 64 original that took some seven years to finally make its way to the states (under Nintendo's Virtual Console banner), years spent working up a near-mythical level of cult acclaim. via offworld
bioshock cosplay aquarium photoshoot
This was a colossal effort, and just like the original display of the piece, several hands went into making it happen. Much thanks to my friend Kim and Jay for getting up at 5am to come with us and be our handlers, to the Georgia Aquarium staff for this amazing opportunity, and to Matt Nicholson (and his fiancée!) of Dim Horizon Studio for doing such fantastic photography and editing. (at volpin props via nerdcore)
the hesitation
The Hesitation, by Juha Arvid Helminen. This Deviantart find is highly praised by both IO9 and Coilhouse and we are wading six feet deep in our own turbulence to finally get things started and done. At the same time. Wonderfully and hilariously inexplicable Yoda talk at 0:35!
conspiracy - actuator
After 3 years of silence.
...
You expected more, didn't you?
Too bad.
We have to lower the bar you know. Anyway.
This intro was supposed to be done for Breakpoint, Scenecon, Riverwash, Assembly, probably Evoke too, and at some point it was also planned to be a Function invitation, but we could not finish the thing, probably 'cos we failed to even START it. Oh well. Hope you like it still and we hope Still likes it. For the record, it IS 1AM, so excuse us, if we're only moderately coherent. Also, WE'RE REALLY HAPPY AND WE'LL LET OURSELVES FINISH, BUT FAIRLIGHT HAS THE ONE OF THE BEST INTROS OF ALL TIME. *cough* (via pouet)
lapp, light art performance photography
LAPP originates on a real-time basis directly in front of the camera. Created between opening and closing the shutter. The pictures shown here are in each case one single photo, not a result of working on the computer. With especially developed light and luminous tools they are projected on the sensor. within a performance, form and color by light arrange such complicated figures and light forms. (core.form-ula via warren ellis)
turbo: the movie (between the devil and the shiny, shiny dancemat)
Jarrett Lee Conaway's TURBO is a slick, hybrid monster that pays honest tribute to the fighting games of almost two decades, paired with the same reverence towards Japanese arcades with their blinding mosaic of DDR dancemats, teenager decadence and a palette of white, blue and even more blue. On a budget of 100 thou bucks and the dedication that spills forth from the same grass roots approach that we used for our projects in the scene (whatever that means, whichever scene we're talking), this is a textbook example of how to make a short movie. Storywise, it is obviously constructed out of clichés (ones that pave the way for the fighting scenes quite well), technically and visually this is a TREAT, look no further. I'm exceptionally glad to see better and better amateur and semi-professional SF and cyberpunk shorts coming up on YouTube, so ladies and gentlemen, pay some kudos for this genetlemen and his crew. Almost missed Linda Lee from this one. Read Kotaku's feature on how this film unfurled into action from an idea. (turbothemovie.com)
