What is the Watercooler?
It's a haven in the middle of a harsh, 9-to-5 world. A place where you can gather with your fellow human beings and bond over a paper cup full of cool refreshment.
All sorts of randomness is welcome here. Post pictures, videos, special Chat information, or just discuss news and current events.
Want to be a guest poster? PM TimeChaser.
Banner by Red Tigress
Alt: Cracked.com is another inexplicable browser narcotic. They could write a list of '17 worst haircuts in the Ottoman Empire' and I'd read through to the end, then click on all the links at the end.
After finishing the novel Good Omens last night, I went on a mad hunt for art related to the book, and found this on deviantArt. I could not resist posting it.
The Four Apocalyptic Horsepersons. From left to right: Famine, Pollution, War, and Death.
Among the many elements of classic B-movies, one of the staples is giant, radioactively mutated monsters. They could be bugs, lizards, or even fluffy man-eating rabbits (no kidding). Join us this month in Movie Sign as we celebrate the fruits of our own misspent nuclear labors, those giant monsters that just can't help trying to wipe humanity off the face of the Earth.
What is Movie Sign?
Every Sunday night, we nestle down in Chat and watch an episode of the cult TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K for short) while spamming up the Chat box. Don't worry - we use episodes available on streaming sites so that we can all watch simultaneously.
What's MST3K?
A comedy show that ran from 1988-1999, it's like watching a movie with running commentary. Joel Robinson or Mike Nelson, along with 'bots Tom Servo and Crow, are forced to watch terrible films as part of a mad scientist's bid for world domination. To keep their (and our) sanity, they talk back to the movies and riff on them. A more detailed explanation can be found up at the SoL.
Next Episode
Haven't had enough of the cinematic genius of Bert I. Gordon? Neither have we, apparently, which is why we'll be watching Earth vs. the Spider. When Carol's dad goes missing, she and her boyfriend Mike go looking for him and wind up in a cave. Well, this cave also happens to be the home of a rather cranky giant tarantula. What ensues is a pretty pointless film of one small town's encounter with an enormous arachnid. There's also some teens, rock n' roll and dancing, but then this IS the '50s.
Before the film is the short Using Your Voice, an important lesson on how to become a more effective public speaker. Just remember to use plenty of lip and tongue action!
Host Segment Highlights
For the invention exchange, the Mads show off their cheese-phone (which Frank can't stop eating), while Joel combines a blow-dryer and a CD player so you can blow your mind while drying your hair. After that, Crow has aspirations to become a screenwriter (if the SoL crew ever gets back to Earth) and the guys review his script. Then it's time for the SPIDORR rock opera, which is interrupted by the Custodian of the 7th Galaxy (cameo!Mike). Joel and the Bots have a talk about dangerous toys (back in the days before "child safety" was invented), and finally Joel has the Bots do their own essay reports on Bert I. Gordon.
Come join us! We don't bite, promise. Movie starts at 8PM EST/5PM PST, room opens at the :30 beforehand.
The password for the room is: wirerack. Be prepared for the night by finding the videos here.
The Giant Monster Movie Marathon claws it's way through July with ...
7/19 - Episode 804 - The Deadly Mantis
7/26 - Episode 402 - The Giant Gila Monster
Next Meeting: July 11, 2009, at 10:00 PM Eastern (7:00 PM Pacific)
Next Episodes: Kannagi ep5-6 / Escaflowne ep13-14
Chat Password: maidia
About the Anime Club
The Anime Club is a weekly room in theOtaku's community chat where we meet to have fun laughing, crying, heckling, and spazzing together while watching a few episodes of anime. Rather than watching mainstream shows, however, we pick out good, yet lesser-known anime as an opportunity for people to enjoy new shows. Streaming links are usually provided for those without a copy of the anime.
Current Anime
Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens is a 14 episode comedy with bits of fantasy and romance sprinkled on top. When Mikuriya Jin (Shimono Hiro) carves a high school art project from the trunk of a sacred tree that had been cut down, he's visited by Nagi (Tomatsu Haruka), the town's resident land deity, who materializes from the wooden statue. Not only is Jin's project ruined, he now has to try and explain to his childhood friend Aoba Tsugumi (Sawashiro Miyuki) and other classmates why a girl is suddenly living with him.
Click to watch the opening and ending.
The Vision of Escaflowne is a 26 episode fantasy/adventure with some mecha thrown in for good measure. It tells the story of Kanzaki Hitomi (Sakamoto Maaya), a high school girl with a talent for fortune telling who gets transported to Gaea, a world of magic currently at war. She gets caught in the struggle against the invading Zaibach empire when she meets Van Fanel (Seki Tomokazu), the young king of Fanelia.
Click to watch the opening.
Schedule
Date..............Kannagi...........Escaflowne
June 20..........ep01-02...........ep09-10
June 27..........ep03-04...........ep11-12
July 04...........Canceled for 4th of July
July 11...........ep05-06...........ep13-14
July 18...........ep07-08...........ep15-16
July 25...........ep09-10...........ep17-18
Aug 01...........ep11-12...........ep19-20
Aug 08...........ep13-14...........ep21-22
