Movie Trailer of the Day: First official trailer for Sacha Baron Cohen’s upcoming Larry Charles-helmed comedy, The Dictator.
Based on Zabibah and the King — the romance novel allegedly authored by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein — the film follows an heroic tyrant “who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.”
Co-starring Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley, J.B. Smoove, and John C. Reilly, the film is set to open wide May 11th.
[moviefone.]
Animated Short of the Day: Simon’s cat knows what he wants, knows how to get it, and, most importantly, knows how to cover his tracks.
[simonscat.]
Morning Fluff: A bearded dragon plays Ant Crusher on a smartphone. Naturally, he crushes the high score.
[metro.]
Movie Montage of the Day: Good: 2011 is nearing its merciful end. Better: It’s time once again for genrocks annual Year in Film retrospective.
Over 230 films produced and/or distributed in 2011 have been handpicked to celebrate the year that was in motion pictures. Reality may have sucked, but make believe had a pretty good year.
A complete list of films in order of their appearance can be found here.
[thanks elliot!]
Earlier: Filmography 2010.
Person Of The Year of the Day: TIME picks “The Protester” as its Person of the Year for 2011.
No one could have known that when a Tunisian fruit vendor set himself on fire in a public square, it would incite protests that would topple dictators and start a global wave of dissent. In 2011, protesters didn’t just voice their complaints; they changed the world.
Runners-Up: Admiral William McRaven; Ai Weiwei; Rep. Paul Ryan; Kate Middleton.
See Also: People Who Mattered; TIME’s Person of the Year 1927-2010; 10 Times TIME’s Person of the Year Wasn’t Really a Person.
(Cover Art: Shepard Fairey.)
[timemagazine.]
Lights Out: Looking to curry favor with senior Something Awful Goons, newcomer I Love Badgers solicited random scenarios for an animated music video, which he then proceeded to make.
Needless to say, the result is a messy masterpiece consisting of cats playing double-neck guitars and Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.
[io9.]
Passive-Aggressive Packaging of the Day: Tell me about it, Trisonic Christmas Lights.
Another ominous Christmas threat after the jump:
Invalid Argument of the Day: I have no idea what you’re talking about… so here’s a photo of world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma on the floor of a bathroom with a wombat.
[@petersagal.]
