Charlie Jane Anders, Author at Gizmodo

Scott Sigler’s book trailer goes for the Full Horror

Book trailers are always a bit like low-budget short films, but this trailer for Scott Sigler’s bio-horror film Ancestor relishes its exploitation movie cred. It’s flesh-rippingly awesome, and more than enough to get you primed for mad-science nastiness.

Movies Charlie Jane Anders

When an underwhelming movie has an amazing trailer

It’s really true: You can’t judge a movie by its trailer. Some of the worst movies had trailers that made us go, “Hell yeah, I wanna see this now.” Sometimes they even make it look like a totally different movie. After having looked through a few hundred trailers for bad movies, the striking thing is…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders

Leto Atreides II, H.P. Lovecraft and David Lynch are sitting for formal portraits

Freaks Of The Heartland artist Greg Ruth puts up a new image on his site every Monday, taking us inside his weird consciousness. Portraits of Dune’s Leto Atreides II and David Lynch, plus surreal creatures, are flooding the internet. Ruth did his weekly picture series, the 52 Weeks Project, once before, and this time around…

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Why are young people so obsessed with violent dystopias?

The publishing industry is rushing to put out as many dystopian novels for teenagers as possible. Why is this? These grim survival-of-the-fittest worlds reflect teenagers’ real lives, argues Laura Miller in a must-read New Yorker essay.

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders

Russell T. Davies explains how the new Torchwood will continue the story!

The elite alien-fighting squad of Torchwood — well, the two members who remain — will return at last. The BBC announced a co-production deal with U.S. cable network Starz. Update: Russell T. Davies speaks! I think we can all heave a sigh of relief that the Fox version of Torchwood never came to pass. Instead,…

Television Charlie Jane Anders

Octavia Butler’s dystopias are more believable than Orwell’s or Huxley’s

“I have trouble believing in a government efficient enough to keep track of us all in the way that the government in Orwell’s novel was able to do. In terms of a terrifying glimpse into the future, I still think that Octavia Butler got it closer than the mid-20th-century dystopian novelists, Orwell and Huxley. Go…

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A Star Trek character says he’ll be back in the sequel. Plus Green Lantern logo, and early Let Me In review!

One of Star Trek’s minor characters is sure he’ll return in the sequel. There’s a Green Lantern poster, Jonah Hex clips, and an early review of Let Me In. Plus Doctor Who, Captain America, Twilight, Haven, True Blood and Fringe. Star Trek 12: Deep Roy, who played Scotty’s alien sidekick (along with the Ooompa Loompas…

Television Charlie Jane Anders

Doctor Who and the Ponytail of Doom!

BBC America just aired the Doctor Who episode “Amy’s Choice” this past evening, but we mistakenly posted our recap last week. You can read it here, and feel free to discuss the episode in the comments below.

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Hold our entire galaxy in the palm of your hand

The Spitzer Space Telescope crew have stitched together 800,000 frames of data into an enormous mosaic of our galaxy. This is just a tiny glimpse of the whole shebang, showing the Milky Way’s violent stellar coming of age. [APOD]

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Meeting your future self isn’t what it’s cracked up to be

“Grrl” travels forward in time 15 years to meet her present-day self, in this awesome installment of the webcomic Cat and Girl. Understandably, her 1990s self is a bit disappointed. [Cat and Girl]

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So what comes next after steampunk and zombies?

Our imaginations are caught between two unstoppable empires: the retrofuturistic world of steampunk, and the shambling hordes of zombies. The only thing more popular than a steampunk world or a zombie world is steampunk with zombies. But what’s next? Lately, it’s been occurring to me that maybe the love of steampunk and the fascination with…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders

Snoop Dogg shot first! Star Wars’ Cantina scene reimagined with some new additions…

You have to love this new Adidas ad, featuring Snoop Dogg, David Beckham, Daft Punk and Oasis’ Noel Gallagher in the classic cantina scene. Mostly for Snoop Dogg’s response to the classic “My friend doesn’t like you” line.

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Finally, you’ll be able to make a robot breakdance in orbit

Meet SpaceJustin, a new telepresence robot designed to go into space and do the pop-and-lock maneuvers that are too hazardous to humans. SpaceJustin’s developers showed him off before the start of the International Aerospace Show in Germany. More pics below. Daft Punk needs to recruit this robot to join their back-up dancer team right away.…

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Robert A. Heinlein wasn’t really a libertarian after all

Robert A. Heinlein’s novel The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress is a seminal libertarian text, and Heinlein inspired many people to become libertarians. But Heinlein’s own views were more varied, and his work dabbles in many different political philosophies. [Mises.org]

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders

The greatest SF universes that include both magic and science fiction

What happens when you have magic and spaceships? Or gods and mad scientists? Some of the most exciting worlds in science fiction also include fantasy elements — and here are our 12 favorites. It really feels as though the cutting edge of speculative fiction lately is stories where neither magic nor science can fully explain…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders

Could this rocket be the replacement for the space shuttles?

The co-founder of PayPal just launched a rocket, the Falcon 9, which hopes to put a space capsule, the Dragon, into orbit. We’re all hoping Elon Musk’s rocket works better than PayPal, because NASA wants to use it for missions. According to the latest reports, the Dragon space capsule successfully reached orbit, which is amazing…

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Could the Avengers approach have worked for Watchmen?

Looking at all the fan-made poster for The Avengers last night, a thought struck me: Maybe the best way to film the sprawling ensemble piece that is Alan Moore’s Watchmen would have been to borrow from Marvel’s approach? I’m fully willing to admit this might be one of those late-night, sleep-deprivation-fueled thoughts that is better…

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Now is the time, and you are the one, to save Realms Of Fantasy

The always awesome Realms Of Fantasy magazine almost went under a year ago, but under a new publisher, the magazine’s newstand sales and advertising are up. But Realms still might go under, unless more of us renew our subscriptions. According to a new editorial from editor Douglas Cohen: Since Warren [Lapine] bought the magazine, newsstand…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders

Angels and sleeping giants nest in a gateway to nowhere

What could possibly lay on the other side of this seven-meter-high gate? Another universe? A magical fortress? A playground for departed spirits? The most magnificent thing about Tony Phantastes’ Dreamer’s Gate is how many places you could imagine it leading. Australian artist Tony Phantastes worked on the Dreamer’s Gate from 1993 to 1999, and then…

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The Asylum’s Alien Vs. Hunter: Still better than Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem.

The Asylum’s zero-budget knockoffs of Hollywood science fiction epics may have reached their pinnacle with AVH: Alien Vs. Hunter. Just check out this scene where the dildo-headed Hunter, and then the Alien, both attack the Greatest American Hero, William Katt. You kind of have to love that level of monster-movie cheesiness, and the dedication to…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders

Charlie Jane Anders

Scott Sigler’s book trailer goes for the Full Horror

When an underwhelming movie has an amazing trailer

Leto Atreides II, H.P. Lovecraft and David Lynch are sitting for formal portraits

Why are young people so obsessed with violent dystopias?

Russell T. Davies explains how the new Torchwood will continue the story!

Octavia Butler’s dystopias are more believable than Orwell’s or Huxley’s

A Star Trek character says he’ll be back in the sequel. Plus Green Lantern logo, and early Let Me In review!

Doctor Who and the Ponytail of Doom!

Hold our entire galaxy in the palm of your hand

Meeting your future self isn’t what it’s cracked up to be

So what comes next after steampunk and zombies?

Snoop Dogg shot first! Star Wars’ Cantina scene reimagined with some new additions…

Finally, you’ll be able to make a robot breakdance in orbit

Robert A. Heinlein wasn’t really a libertarian after all

The greatest SF universes that include both magic and science fiction

Could this rocket be the replacement for the space shuttles?

Could the Avengers approach have worked for Watchmen?

Now is the time, and you are the one, to save Realms Of Fantasy

Angels and sleeping giants nest in a gateway to nowhere

The Asylum’s Alien Vs. Hunter: Still better than Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem.

Pixel Buds Pro 2 Hit Record Low as Google Continues Its Clearance-Like Price Cuts Following Smartphone Deals

DJI Now Has a Cheaper 360 Drone Than Insta360, but the U.S. Won’t Get It

Amazon Clears Out Apple Watch Series 9 With Silver Stainless Steel Case at 48% Off During Spring Sale

What Do You Mean Fox McCloud Is in the ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ Movie

Apple iPad With A16 Chip Is Now as Cheap as It Gets, With Stock Moving Quickly in Amazon’s Tablet Deals

Amazon Echo Spot Is Running at Its All-Time Low, Likely the Last Chance Before Prime Day Arrives in a Few Months

Diablo Cody Has Big Plans for the ‘Jennifer’s Body’ Sequel

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Joins Amazon’s Spring Sale at Its Lowest Price of the Year, Now One of the Best-Selling Bone Conduction Headphones

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Apple Studio Display XDR Review: It Looks So Good, I Wish It Were an iMac

RayNeo Air 4 Pro Review: My Eyes Love These Video Glasses, but My Nose Disagrees

M5 MacBook Air Review: A Laptop With Real Middle Child Energy

MacBook Neo Review: No Other Budget Laptop Can Compete