Category: Local Events

D23 News: Tom Hiddleston the Disney Lounge Singer

This one is mostly for you ladies out there. I know what you think of Tom Hiddleston, the actor who’ll be portraying Loki in the upcoming Thor: The Dark World and the Avengers sequel. You love his looks and you love his acting (okay, I’m with you on this one) but will you love his singing?

At Disney’s D23 held at the Anaheim Convention Center, Tom was just one of the celebrities to make an appearance in front of thousands of fans. Perhaps he made the female geeks swoon with his good looks but were they swooning to his singing. If not they were at least swinging along as Tom snapped his fingers while giving his rendition of the tune “Bear Necessities” from Disney’s The Jungle Book. Jack Benny Show alumni Phil Harris originally breathed life into the 1967 song as the voice of ‘Baloo’ the Bear.

Now tell me ladies, which version do you prefer?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu5n-6uPiZI&w=560&h=315]

Pike’s Work to Manifest Itself on TV

SpooksvilleThe trailer for Hub Network’s newest live action series Spooksville is available to view online. Based on the series of acclaimed children’s novels by Christopher Pike, the series was shot entirely on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Locations like the Duncan Curling Club, Craigdarroch Castle, Fisgard Lighthouse and Duncan city hall were all used as the backdrop for Springville, nicknamed by the locals as Spooksville. From Victoria to the Cowichan Valley, filming elsewhere could not have created the unique atmosphere needed for this comedy-adventure series.

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A look at VicLUG. LEGO and Insider Connections:

LEGO is more than a toy for some, but also a means to form meaningful bonds between individuals who love the brick. At VicLUG, a local club, Ed Sum not only pofiles who these people are but also gives a quick rundown of this toy’s history.

VicLUG TeamOtaku no Culture’s own Ed Sum presents a mini-documentary that quickly looks at the history of LEGO and examines what it means to a bring people together. In this production, he profiles a local group, the Victoria Lego Users Group (VicLUG).

This video was made a few years ago as a final video project when he took the (now defunct) Applied Communications Program (Camosun College), and he’s also interviewed the group! The link to that article can read here.

VicLUG Mini-Doc

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8LmRTfks8w&w=560&h=315]

[Victoria, BC] Curious Comics Expands for the Summer

Curious ComicsJust when the days of light reading can’t be found, Curious Comics Books & Games in Victoria, BC has a Summer clearance store, aptly named Curious! Too, of all things pop culture to keep everyone sated. Well, that’s until the next Marvel Entertainment movie comes along … in the form of The Wolverine, due in theatres July 26th. There’s also the lesser known R.I.P.D. (Rest in Peace Department), based on a Dark Horse Comics property about a recently slain cop who joins a police department with an undead division. Could the latter be the next Men in Black? Who knows, but readers can find out with old comic books being offered at discount prices; plenty of 3 for $1 deals will be found. Graphic novels will be sold at 50% off cover.

But for the people interested in expressing their inner geek, action figures, t-shirts, posters and other sundries will also be offered.

This place will run throughout the summer from Weds to Sun, 10am-5:30pm and is located on 1319 Broad St. Tourists to one of the Pacific Northwest’s many gems, the garden city of Victoria, may well be able to find a few shining jewels of the geeky variety to marvel at during that journey home.

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Dissecting Fan Expo Vancouver 2013

The headliner for this year’s Fan Expo Vancouver was Stan Lee.

Expectations were very high by fans to see if the organizers could successfully pull off Fan Expo Vancouver for a second year. Problems were abound in its first year because nobody from the East Coast team knew what the West Coast interest would be like. The major complaint heard from the grapevine, especially on Facebook, was with the lineups. At least that looked better managed in this event’s second year. More signage could have helped direct traffic and one out of the many problems that still needs to be addressed is with hallway congestion. If that issue is not enough, detractors say Fan Expo is a form of Creation Con, a style of organization where the show is designed to take every penny out of a fan’s pocket, and true fan-run conventions are few and far-between.

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At least the die-hard masses tends to ignore the naysayers and find enjoyment in everything that Fan Expo celebrates: pop culture.

This year, the show took over three ballrooms at the Vancouver Convention Center’s West Wing and it stretched out to the conference rooms on the second level. The exhibit hall was organized to have dealers for one-third of the space, exhibitors (like LEGO and Sony Playstation) in the middle and displays from special organizations at the end, near the loading docks.

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A Personal Look at Cherry Bomb Toy’s 11th Ultimate Hobby and Toy Fair

I wasn’t sure about what I would buy among the dealers and nor about what I would find.

ToyFair2George R. Pearkes Rec Centre
Saanich, B.C

To be that good Anglican boy, I should’ve attended eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral Sunday morning. Instead I was attending what one may consider a religion of its own.: a toy show.

Victoria’s Ultimate Toy and Hobby Fair happens twice a year at the G.R. Pearkes Recreation Centre and the first of 2013 is bigger than the last of 2012. To be there early on May 5th at 8am was a delight. When the doors opened for the early bird crowd, I was rewarded with two IMAX passes, good for a discounted group rate at the National Geographic IMAX theatre, located next to the Royal B.C. Museum. The first thousand attendees were awarded with these coupons. Before entering the show floor, I had already came away with goodies. But what was awaiting for me to see out on the dealers’ floor?

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