New Releases in Entertainment: Week of March 8, 2010

by kimber on March 8, 2010 · Comments

object_new_releaseHi, this is Kimber with your new releases this week. If you just can’t wait for the May release of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, we’ve got a Scandinavian crime novel to keep you busy. This week also offers a catchy collaboration between two of music’s most interesting artists, the DVD release of an Oscar-nominated favorite from last year, and a video game that has players performing such seemingly disparate tasks as mountain climbing and crafting. At least you won’t be bored.

To make sure you don’t miss the latest updates on new releases and exciting GetGlue features, be sure to follow our Twitter feed @GetGlue.

devils-star-jo-nesboFiction: The Devil’s Star by Jo Nesbo

With the popularity of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Henning Mankell’s novels, Scandinavia is the latest hotspot for crime fiction, despite its otherwise chilly reputation. Though it was released in Norway in 2006, Jo Nesbo’s The Devil’s Star is just making its way westward and makes its American debut this week. Following Nemesis and The Redbreast, The Devil’s Star returns readers to the grisly world of detective Harry Hole.

With struggles to spare, Hole is a flawed hero who would feel right at home in the world of film noir.  This time around, he must investigate the murder of a victim who is found minus a finger and plus a pentagram-like diamond embedded in her eye. Sounds gross, but advance praise indicates that it’s gripping as well.

Also new in fiction books this week: The Serialist by David Gordon, Hell Gate by Linda Fairstein, and more.  See them all at Fiction New Releases.

devil-and-sherlock-holmes-david-grannNonfiction: The Devil and Sherlock Holmes by David Grann

New Yorker writer David Grann’s last nonfiction book, The Lost City of Z, might have seemed like a simple story of South American adventure, but its subtitle  –  “A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon” — reveals that it’s about more than just discovery. Grann focused on a legendary lost explorer, whose passion and drive for a mythic civilization led to his death, and the author finds himself similarly entranced by the story he is researching. His new collection, The Devil and Sherlock Holmes, boasts a similar focus and an equally tantalizing subtitle: “Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession.”

The Lost City of Z reads like fiction, and these journalistic explorations should feature the same strange-but-true appeal. There’s the titular tale of the murdered devotee of Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as stories about a scientist consumed by his search for a giant squid and a race against time set beneath the streets of New York City. Grann’s excellent prose is sure to elevate these already-addictive narratives to something more than a guilty pleasure.

Also new in nonfiction books this week: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler, Courage and Consequence by Karl Rove, and more. See them all at Nonfiction New Releases.

green_zone_poster-matt-damonMovies in Theaters: Green Zone

The last time Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass collaborated, the explosive result was the critical and box office success The Bourne Ultimatum. Now they reunite for Green Zone, a Iraq-set thriller that hopes to follow in the sandy footsteps of thought-provoking actioner (and Oscar winner) The Hurt Locker. Damon stars as an army leader who uncovers a conspiracy in his attempts to find weapons of mass destruction.

If you want to win tickets to see Green Zone, be sure to visit the film’s page on GetGlue. If you’re a guru of related items such as Matt Damon, The Hurt Locker, or Full Metal Jacket, you could see the movie for free. Minus the price of popcorn, of course.

Also new in theaters this week: Remember Me, She’s Out of My League, and more. See them all at Movies in Theaters.

broken-bellsMusic: Broken Bells by Broken Bells

Blending indie-rock earnestness with the polish of electronica, the collaboration known as Broken Bells takes the successful formula of The Postal Service (band frontman + electronica producer) and gets an entire different result. In this case, it’s the lead singer of The Shins, James Mercer, who pairs with Danger Mouse, best known for Beatles/Jay-Z mash-up The Gray Album and as one half of Gnarls Barkley.

From its anthemic opening track — which feels like it should arrive ready with a lighter for live shows — the eponymous album Broken Bells is a fine mix of upbeat and chill. It’s the perfect choice for a low-key party that you just aren’t ready to end (you know, if people still played whole albums at parties).

Also new in music this week: Plastic Beach by Gorillaz, Valleys of Neptune by Jimi Hendrix, and more. See them all at Music New Releases.

up-in-the-air-george-clooneyNew on DVD: Up in the Air

Up in the Air might have come up emptyhanded at the Oscars, but that doesn’t mean this excellent comedic drama isn’t worth watching. At once timely and timeless, Jason Reitman’s latest film (after Juno and Thank You for Smoking) is like the Jerry Maguire of the aughts — minus the too-cute kid and overdose on schmaltz.

Reitman and Sheldon Turner’s screenplay — which smartly adds to Walter Kirn’s original novel — is a big part of the film’s success, but it’s tough to overlook the contributions of the cast. Only George Clooney could have charmed us in a role that would have had lesser actors resorting to smarm, and support from Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons, and Zach Galifianakis proves that even Clooney — and his lone-wolf character — can’t do it alone.

Also new on DVD this week: Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire, Capitalism: A Love Story, and more. See them all at New on DVD.

daring-game-for-girls-nintendo-dsVideo Games: The Daring Game for Girls

Rather than focusing on shopping, cooking, or other stereotypically female video game pursuits, The Daring Game for Girls encourages young women to be, well, daring. Based on the book of the same name, this Nintendo DS offering works like a playbook for strong women-to-be.

Within the game, adventures can be close to home (making crafts or camping) or far-flung (scaling Mount McKinley or hiking across Africa), all leading players toward the goal of becoming a Daring Girl. Earning badges makes quests seem Girl Scout-esque, but cookie-selling has been replaced by tasks such as working at a lemonade stand. It’s no business school, but it seems like a step in the right direction in the male-dominated world of video games.

Also new in video games this week: Final Fantasty XIII, Yakuza 3,  and more. See them all at Video Game New Releases.

In addition to the newest releases, we also have the previous weeks’ movies, books, and more in our new Recently Released section.

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Guru Giveaways for the Week of March 8, 2010

by amigreko on March 8, 2010 · Comments

Six new giveaway titles for you this week, including some New York Times bestsellers! As always, titles from last week remain available, and in movies, we’ve got tickets to The Green Zone for you to snag.

The Man from Beijing, by Henning Mankell.

Fans of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will be excited to hear that this is another mystery set in frozen Sweden, starring an impressive female lead. Entertainment Weekly says, “this is hands down the best thriller I’ve read in five years.”

Connected: The Surprising Power of Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, by Nicholas A. Christakis.

Last year, a story spread like wildfire through the media: a person’s weight, it said, is largely determined by the weight of his or her friends. The story was the work of Nicholoas Christakis, the author of Connected, and is just one aspect of his research into friendship, marriage, and neighbors that explains the unique ways humans influence each other.

The Lost Books of the Odyssey, by Zachary Mason.

This vivid reimagining of Homer’s The Odyssey invents new sections of the classic text, revises others, and bring to the forefront “lost” excerpts. This debut novel by A.I. specialists Zachary Mason was on The New York Times Bestseller extended list last week.

The Little Big Things: 162 Ways to Pursue Excellence, by Thomas J. Peters.

Thomas Peters is the author of several international bestsellers, including A Passion for Excellence and Thriving on Chaos. His latest book is a guidebook at how to excel at the “people side” of business, and its ideas will prove as relevant to a freelancer as to a major CEO.

Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank, by Randi Hutter Epstein.

Medical journalist Randi Hutter Epstein, who has written for The New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Daily Telegraph, focuses her attention on an eye-opening history of childbirth. At times funny and occasionally worrisome, this book is sure to teach you plenty about the culture history of getting pregnant and having a baby.

Twilight and Philosophy: Vampires, Vegetarians, and the Pursuit of Immortality, by Rebecca Housel. The latest entry from Wiley’s …And Philosophy series tackles the philosophical questions between the hit YA series and movie Twilight. Essay include questions about vegetarianism, feminism, and Mormonism.

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Top List Update: Essential Horror Movies

by kimber on March 4, 2010 · Comments

This isn’t about Team Edward or Team Jacob; it’s about what scares you. Are you a horror fan who likes the classics, or do you crave the energy of a modern remake? Do the lumbering undead freeze you with fear, or is it the running, Boyle-ized zombies that have you planning shots to the head? Are you in line for the latest 3-D blockbuster, or do you plan late-night viewings of a cult classic that you’re proud to introduce to your friends?

There are as many types of horror movies as there are horror fans, and our update of our list of essential horror films celebrates many of them. Our original list had great picks such as modern masterpiece The Descent, classic creeper The Shining, and anxiety upper Audition, but we’re editing and expanding our selection to feature the movies you have to know to consider yourself a horror aficionado.

essential-horror-list-on-getglue

Our film-loving users provide many of the new additions with titles from the Favorite Movies List. The chest-burstingly awesome Alien is a newcomer to our list, as is the genre-bender American Psycho. Two gleefully gory films that are popular with our users — Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive and Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead 2 — were missing from our original selections, but we can’t imagine a horror fan who would argue with their inclusion here.  Just try it, but not before watching the blood-bathed lawnmower scene in Dead Alive. You’ll pay someone to do your yard work in the future.

zombieland-woody-harrelsonThe neo-classic zom-com Shaun of the Dead is no longer the only horror comedy on the list. It’s  joined by last year’s freakishly funny Zombieland, as well as the wonderfully weird Bubba Ho-Tep. The only thing better than Bruce Campbell playing an aging Elvis who has to battle a cowboy-hat clad mummy is listening to the DVD commentary that the B-movie king does…in character.

We traded out a few remakes for the original classics that still haunt us, such as John Carpenter’s Halloween and Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. However, we couldn’t get rid of Zack Snyder’s take on Dawn of the Dead, which battles Dead Alive for the best zombie baby scene.

There are new favorites, such as the moody Swedish offering Let the Right One In from 2008 and Raimi’s return to form Drag Me to Hell from 2009. But we also added a few films that scared your grandparents: F.W. Murnau’s silent shocker Nosferatu and James Whale’s classic 1931 film Frankenstein. The 1970s are well represented by creepy kid film The Omen and Dario Argento’s giallo gem Suspiria.

the-orphanage-posterOther foreign favorites such as Ji-Woon Kim’s A Tale of Two Sisters, Juan Antonio Bayona’s The Orphanage, and Guillermo del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone are included on the new list. If you’re not too scared to keep your eyes open to read the subtitles, we promise you’ll be converted to the merits of foreign-language horror.

Like all of our top lists, our complete list of the essential horror films is an evolving beast (perhaps a werewolf in this case?), and we rely on your input to make it as good as possible. Angry that there’s only one George A. Romero film? Can’t believe we included The Ring and not Ringu? Comment below and be sure to follow all our updates on Twitter @GetGlue.

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Introducing Glue on Search Pages, Blogs and Web Sites

by Alex on March 3, 2010 · Comments

We are releasing an exciting update to GetGlue addons for Firefox and Chrome today. When you update you will be able to enjoy Glue not only on popular sites, but also on search pages, blogs and any web page that links to Amazon, IMDB, Last.fm, Wikipedia and dozens of other popular sites.

First, try this interactive demo. Mouse over the little [G] icon in front of the links below:

Book: Lost Symbol
Movie: Alice in Wonderland
Album: In Rainbows
Movie Star: Angelina Jolie
Recording Artist: Muse
Topic: Paris

Here is how it works: Glue checks links on the page you are visit and when it recognizes a book, a movie, an album, a star or a topic it inserts a small gray [G] icon next to the link. When you hover over the icon you will see Glue Tip packed with conversations, previews, pictures, videos, trailers, ratings, reviews and more.

Glue for links

Say you go over to Cinematical blog to read the review of Cop Out. The review mentions many other movies and also links to movie stars, including Bruce Willis. If you want to find out more about him, just mouse over the Glue icon. Instantly, you will see the actor’s picture, a short bio, popularity, friends and other Glue users who checked out this actor around the web.

You can also watch videos with Bruce Willis, flip through his pictures, share the link with your Twitter and Facebook friends, or click to the actor’s page on Wikipedia and IMDB. What is neat is that you can do all of this without leaving the page you’re on.

This experience is the same for all types of objects that Glue knows about. When you see the little Glue icon next to books, movies, music albums, topics - just mouse over to get the tip with the information specific to this object. For books, you can get a preview, Amazon reviews and links to this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s and dozens of other book sites. For movies, you can instantly watch the trailer, add to your Netflix queue and see the Rotten Tomatoes summary.

Whenever you mouse over a link to a recording artist or an album you can watch a music clip or flip through artists pictures. You can also do the same for general topics. For example, if you see a link to Picasso on Wikipedia, you can mouse over to get the videos about him as well as images with the samples of his work.

What is particularly neat is that you can see your friends around books, movies, music, etc. Glue pulls together all your friends who visited this around the web so that you can know what they think. To join the conversation on GetGlue.com, click on the roll of faces or ‘Discuss This’ link in the main tab of the tip.

You can also use the tip to rate the object or to save it to your GetGlue profile. The rating options appear beneath the thumb. You can quickly click the Like button or select other choices from the pull down.

Glue Trailer on Google

Glue for links is particularly useful on the search pages. When you see Glue icons appear on Google, Bing and Yahoo! search pages, instead of clicking through to the page, you can mouse over Glue icon and instantly get all the information you need, without clicking through to the page. This will save you a ton of time and clicks on the back button.

So update your Firefox and Chrome addons and take this new version for a spin. We hope you enjoy it, and look forward to your feedback.

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New Releases in Entertainment: Week of March 1, 2010

by kimber on March 1, 2010 · Comments

object_new_releaseHi, this is Kimber with your new releases this week. March is definitely coming in like a lion with a flood of exciting new releases. Whether you’re a fan of horror-infused revisionist history, graphic design geekery, or cinematic musings on the nature of childhood, this week promises the release of something to please you. And with the Winter Olympics winding down, you’ll have to find something new to occupy your time.

To make sure you don’t miss the latest updates on new releases and exciting GetGlue features, be sure to follow our Twitter feed @GetGlue.

abraham-lincoln-vampire-hunter

Fiction: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies made a bloody splash in the publishing world last year with its odd yet inspired combination of Jane Austen and the undead. Though author Seth Grahame-Smith “collaborated” with Ms. Austen for his previous novel, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is all his own creation.  He inserts the bloodsucking brand of the undead into history, allowing them to play a role in the Civil War and placing them in attendance at the Gettysburg Address.

Grahame-Smith’s motivational questions seems to be less “Why?” than “Why not?” There’s little logic in melding actual history with imagined horrors (especially when the real events were so terrible), but the current vampire craze could receive a little extra blood from this new, creative addition to the genre.

Also new in fiction books this week: House Rules by Jodi Picoult, Hush by Kate White, and more.  See them all at Fiction New Releases.

box-bottle-bagNonfiction: Box Bottle Bag by Andrew Gibbs

The conventional argument is that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but this collection of the best graphic design for products argues the converse. From premiere package design site TheDieline.com, Box Bottle Bag reveals that just as much thought has been put into the packaging as the the contents for these items that appear to be the perfect convergence of form and function.

Box Bottle Bag explores the everyday (Method’s Lil’ Bowl Blu and Le Scrub toilet cleaners), the extraordinary (Trilium Absinthe), and the extraneous (The Rubber Bandit rubber band gun), celebrating the beauty and ingenuity in each with equal ardor. Those who make their wine choices based on solely on label design (myself included) will find many more bottles to try in its pages.

Also new in nonfiction books this week: Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef, No Apology by Mitt Romney, and more. See them all at Nonfiction New Releases.

secret-of-kellsMovies in Theaters: The Secret of Kells

The biggest surprise of the Oscar nominations wasn’t the mentions of District 9 or The Blind Side as potential Best Picture winners; instead, it was the inclusion of the unheard-of The Secret of Kells in the animated feature category alongside well-known films such as Up and Coraline. However, a glimpse of the film’s trailer reveals a painterly, kaleidoscopic animation style that wowed Oscar voters and should sway viewers as well.

This French-Irish-Belgian co-production tells the imaginative story of a 12-year-old boy with an unusual talent. He embarks on a quest with a monk from the abbey where he lives, but his mission may be endangered by both invading Vikings and the serpent god. It sounds — and looks — far from average, and I mean that as the highest of compliments.

Also new in theaters this week: Alice in Wonderland, Brooklyn’s Finest, and more. See them all at Movies in Theaters.

twin_tigers-gray_wavesMusic: Gray Waves by Twin Tigers

Athens, Georgia, has been the epicenter for alternative music for decades, boasting groups such as R.E.M. and the B-52s, and another band of hometown heroes is set to take the scene by storm. Twin Tigers are releasing their full-length album Gray Waves, and it — simply — rocks. Quiet and contemplative it isn’t; this is music for gearing up, not winding down.

Twin Tigers has opened for artists such as Dead Confederate and Dungen, and their late-’60s influenced sound should sway fans of shoegaze and noise-inflected rock. After playing shows at last year’s incarnation of SXSW, the foursome is set to return to Austin for this year’s festivities.

Also new in music this week: Permalight by Rogue Wave, Scratch My Back by Peter Gabriel, and more. See them all at Music New Releases.

where-the-wild-things-areNew on DVD: Where the Wild Things Are

One of the newest members of our list of essential fantasy films, Where the Wild Things Are is a movie that perfectly exhibits the spirit of its source material while imbuing it with something entirely new. Spike Jonze had previously wowed audiences with Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, and this film displays the same impressive level of imagination. It follows the  alternately scary and wonderful adventures of Max (Max Records), a boy who runs away to a strange land populated by monsters.

Where the Wild Things Are is far from perfect, but it’s messy, chaotic moments add to its charm, rather than detract from it. Despite being a fantasy, it’s the rare film about childhood that captures both the sheer joy and utter loneliness of being a kid.

Also new on DVD this week: Ponyo, 2012, and more. See them all at New on DVD.

battlefield-bad-company-2Video Games: Battlefield: Bad Company 2

If your elementary school report cards indicated that you don’t play well with others, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 may not be the game for you. The sequel returns gamers to the world of Battlefield: Bad Company, and like its predecessor, this first-person shooter offering is more about the online multiplayer mode than single-player missions. But don’t expect a free-for-all shoot-’em-up: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 works best when players work together to achieve their goals.

New additions to gameplay include an ATV and transport helicopter, and the graphics are almost painfully realistic. If it all seems a bit too much like actual warfare to be fun, don’t fear: the trademark sense of humor of Bad Company remains intact for this new release.

Also new in video games this week: Major League Baseball 2K10, Lunar: Harmony of Silver Star, and more. See them all at Video Game New Releases.

In addition to the newest releases, we also have the previous weeks’ movies, books, and more in our new Recently Released section.

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Guru Giveaways for the Week of March 1st, 2010

by amigreko on March 1, 2010 · Comments

The great reviews of our Guru giveaway program keep rolling in—check out this one from a GetGlue user. Have you written about GetGlue on your website or blog lately? Let us know so that we can link to you!

To kick off March, we’ve got an amazing line up of giveaways. As always, if you see something you see, check out the related items to figure out if you can become a Guru. We love to see our passionate users rewarded with books!

The Crossing Places, by Elly Griffiths.

The beginning of a captivating new mystery series, featuring quirky, tart-tongued archaeologist Ruth Galloway. In The Crossing Places, Ruth is called upon to identify bones that turn out to be two thousand years old—but seem to have ties to a missing-child case in the present.

The Art of Choosing, by Sheena Iyengar.

Sheena Iyengar is a researcher into the world of the decisions humans make. Her work has been referenced by Malcolm Gladwell in his bestselling Blink, and by outlets like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. In this, her first book, she asks the tough questions about why we choose: Why do we sometimes choose against our best interests? How much control do we really have over what we choose?

We Feel Fine: An Almanac of Human Emotion, by Sep Kamvar and Jonathan Harris.

Sep Kamvar and Jonathan Harris have cooked up a computer program that scours the web’s English-speaking world’s new Internet blog posts every minute, hunting down the phrases “I feel” and “I am feeling.” The authors have collected over 12 million feelings since 2005, amassing an ever-growing database of human emotion that adds more than 10,000 new feelings a day. This book is the best of the best of those feelings, spanning the breadth of human emotion: happy, sad, funny, touching.

Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy, by William Irwin.

The latest offering from Wiley’s …And Philosophy, this book looks at the world behind Alice in Wonderland, touching on issues of perception, time, and issues of reality.

Leonard Maltin’s 151 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, by Leonard Maltin.

Leonard Maltin is a respected film critic and historian, perhaps best known for his annual paperback reference Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide, which was first published in 1969. This book collects his favorite unsung films–a must-have for any film buff.

Girl Power, by Marissa Meltzer.

Girl Power examines the role of women in rock since the riot grrrl revolution, weaving author Meltzer’s personal anecdotes with interviews with key players such as Tobi Vail from Bikini Kill and Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls. Chronicling the legacy of artists such as Bratmobile, Sleater-Kinney, Alanis Morissette, Britney Spears, and, yes, the Spice Girls, Girl Power points the way for the future of women in rock.

The Pint Man: A Novel, by Steve Rushin.

A novel by the author of Road Swing and The Caddie Was a Reindeer. For Rodney Poole, a friendly and unassuming lover of clever wordplay and television sports of all stripes, Boyle’s Irish Pub is a haven of good cheer, pleasantly pointless conversation, elaborate jokes, heated trivia contests, well-poured pints, and familiar faces. The pressures and demands of the outside world hold no sway there. But reality cannot be kept at bay forever, and now Rodney’s best friend and partner in inertia, Keith, is getting married and moving to Chicago.

Beneath the Lion’s Gaze, by Mazza Mengiste.

Maaza Mengiste was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A recent Pushcart Prize nominee, she was named “New Literary Idol” by New York magazine. Beneath the Lion’s Gaze is her first novel, and tells the story of Ethiopia’s 1974 revolution through the eyes of people living through it.

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Six Degrees

by Alex on February 23, 2010 · Comments

American playwright, John Guare, wrote a play in 1990 called Six Degrees of Separation. There is a famous quote from the play that became the way people think about Six Degrees:

I read somewhere that everybody on this planet is separated by only six other people. Six degrees of separation between us and everyone else on this planet. The President of the United States, a gondolier in Venice, just fill in the names.

It turns out that, the phenomenon of Six Degrees, also known as Small Worlds, is not only fun but profound. Scientists have studied over the past decades to find out that not only human society but many networks in nature have a property of being connected in this very special way.

Yet the most famous re-incarnation of the phenomenon comes from the pop culture and is known as Kevin Bacon game. Coded by computer science students in University of Virginia,
the Oracle of Bacon lets you pick any Hollywood actor and then see how he/she is linked to Kevin Bacon. Why Kevin Bacon? The irony is that Mr. Bacon is not a particularly famous actor, yet, is connected to every other actor in Hollywood within just a few degrees.

Six Degrees Sticker

So, since we are big fans of science and movies it would be a shame for us to pass up on the opportunity to show you just how things are connected. The Six Degrees sticker reveals the chains of people discovering things through each other on Glue. Here are some of my chains:

Six Degrees Chains

You will earn this sticker every time when you or someone else completes the chain of six people. The list of all chains will show up on your six degree sticker, so you will always be able to know just how exactly you discovered this special book, movie or an album.

We hope that you will have fun earning this fun sticker and drop us a link on how you like it.

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New Releases in Entertainment: Week of February 22, 2010

by kimber on February 22, 2010 · Comments

object_new_releaseHi, this is Kimber with your new releases this week. The last week of February promises to be extraordinarily sunny in terms of releases. Instead of the usual leftovers from last year and duds dumped to avoid embarrassment in higher traffic months, pop culture lovers have a wealth of options, including a well-reviewed novel from a Booker Prize-winning author, a muscular contender for Oscar’s Best Foreign Language Film, and a video game that promises to consume your waking hours (and possibly your dreams) with its disturbing and engaging storyline.

To make sure you don’t miss the latest updates on new releases and exciting GetGlue features, be sure to follow our Twitter feed @GetGlue.

infinities-john-banvilleFiction: The Infinities by John Banville

As in John Banville’s Booker Prize winner, The Sea, his newest novel is permeated by death. But rather than remain entrenched in the earthly realities of loss, The Infinities brings an interesting edge to the proceedings by introducing Greek gods to the mix. As its aging patriarch is dying, the Godley family surrounds his bed, and they, in turn, are surrounded by Zeus, Pan, and Hermes, disguised as average humans.

With advance praise placing The Infinities among Banville’s best, this promises to be far from average reading. Hermes serves as the story’s narrator, bringing the author’s celebrated prose to life and even adding humor to a novel that could’ve remained entirely dour.

Also new in fiction books this week: Split Image by Robert B. Parker, The Sable Quean by Brian Jacques, and more.  See them all at Fiction New Releases.

you-say-tomato-i-say-shut-upNonfiction: You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up: A Love Story by Annabelle Gurwitch and Jeff Kahn

You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up: A Love Story arrives just in time for wedding season and will serve as both encouragement and warning for those about to take the plunge (and those who already have). The authors have been married for 13 years and in show business for even longer, which explains the book’s blurbs from comedic giants such as Ben Stiller, Judd Apatow, and David Cross.

It may not be all fun and games as Annabelle Gurwitch and Jeff Kahn get intensely personal about their marital struggles,  but it’s hard to deny that their senses of humor are intact, even while their marriage may not be so strong. When describing their experiences at couples therapy, Gurwitch writes, “There is a saying that’s bandied about a lot — would you rather be happy or would you rather be right? Right, of course! Being right is what makes me happy.”

Also new in nonfiction books this week: Seizing the White Space by Mark Johnson, Never Tell Our Business to Strangers by Jennifer Mascia, and more. See them all at Nonfiction New Releases.

prophete-prophet-tahar-rahimMovies in Theaters: A Prophet

Avoiding all the elements that turn the uninitiated away from French films, A Prophet is a gritty gangster tale that should draw fans of Scarface and The Godfather. There’s plenty of thought-provoking drama here, but it’s punctuated by moments of violence and action.  Jacques Audiard’s picture about a criminal-turned-prisoner-turned-gang-leader earned a spot among the Oscars nominees for Best Foreign Language Film, and it’s as much a credit to the veteran director as to his fresh-faced star, Tahar Rahim.

Un Prophete picked up the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes, bringing deserved attention — and a role in upcoming Hollywood film The Eagle of the Ninth — to Rahim. He’s in almost every scene, and his performance ranks with some of the best debuts in recent memory.

Also new in theaters this week: The Crazies, Cop Out, and more. See them all at Movies in Theaters.

shout-out-louds-workMusic: Work by Shout Out Louds

Indie pop purveyors Shout Out Louds are continuing Sweden’s decades-long tradition of of-the-moment music (see ABBA and The Hives) with their third album, Work. The fivesome should likely appeal to fans of Belle & Sebastian, The Shins, and their whistling countrymen Peter Bjorn and John. There’s even a New Wave influence in their sounds, and it’s not hard to hear echoes of The Cure’s Robert Smith in vocalist Adam Olenius.

With their two previous albums, Howl Howl Gaff Gaff and Our Ill Wills, Shout Out Louds have swayed between moments of energy and contemplation, and Work seems like no exception. The first two songs available off the album, “Fall Hard” and “Walls,” are both tough to turn off, but “Fall Hard” has been on constant repeat for me over the last week.

Also new in music this week: American VI by Johnny Cash, One-Armed Bandit by Jaga Jazzist, and more. See them all at Music New Releases.

matt-damon-the-informantNew on DVD: The Informant!

How The Informant! — a fizzy comedy directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring A-lister Matt Damon — made only $33 million at the domestic box office may be a bigger mystery than anything that happens in the film. The normally handsome Damon may have been barely recognizable beneath a mustache, a bad toupee, and more than a few extra pounds, but that’s no excuse, people. Bostered by an excellent, perfectly retro score by Marvin Hamlisch, The Informant! deserves your attention –and that titular exclamation point — for its efforts.

Based on real-life events and Kurt Eichenwald’s book, The Informant! stars Damon as Mark Whitacre, a corporate VP who reveals his company’s corruption to the FBI with unexpected results. This comic thriller earns points for its surprises and lighthearted tone, as well as a delightfully unglamorous star turn by Damon and fine supporting work from Scott Bakula and The Soup host Joel McHale.

Also new on DVD this week: The September Issue, The Box, and more. See them all at New on DVD.

heavy-rain-playstationVideo Games: Heavy Rain

Cinematic in its narrative, visual style, and emotional depth, Heavy Rain isn’t your typical action-driven shoot-’em-up. Instead, this release for PlayStation 3 is a moody thriller that places players in a disturbing situation: a young boy has been kidnapped by the Origami Killer, and they have just days to save him before he becomes another of the prolific killer’s victims. To add even more drama, the boy’s father — still devastated by the death of his other son — is one of your character options, and he has nothing else to lose.

Advance reviews indicate that Heavy Rain takes “interactive” to the next level. If your chosen character dies, it’s not game over (or on to life #2); you pick up the story of one of the other three people in the story, and your previous avatar’s death is worked into the story.

Also new in video games this week: Deadly Premonition, Sonic & Sega: All Stars Racing, and more. See them all at Video Game New Releases.

In addition to the newest releases, we also have the previous weeks’ movies, books, and more in our new Recently Released section.

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Guru Giveaways for the Week of February 22, 2010

by amigreko on February 22, 2010 · Comments

Reports are coming in from all over—users are really enjoying our Guru giveaways! Check out these posts on Ramblings of a Brooklyn Grrl Genius and There’s a Book for their thoughts on the rewards program.

We’re closing out our first month of giveaways this week, with one new title to add to the mix and a reminder that copies are still up for grabs on all of our titles from last week.

Starting on March 1st, we’ll have eight all-new titles for you (including a book just for all of you who can’t wait to see Alice in Wonderland).

Seven Days in the Art World, by Sarah Thornton.

Sarah Thornton, a contributor to ArtForum.com and The New Yorker, takes readers through the inner workings of the art world, including the drama of a Christie’s auction and behind-the-scenes of Takashi Murakami’s studios, in an account that is juicy enough for established art followers and informative enough for newcomers to the field.

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Round Table and Magnetic

by Alex on February 19, 2010 · Comments

The legendary King Arthur and his brave knights used to sit and discuss things around a table. The table was round symbolizing the equality of all participants.

We took the imagery of the knights for this next new sticker - Round Table. The sticker is awarded to a group of 5 or more users discussing a book, a movie, an album or a topic in one single thread.

The Round Table sticker can be earned multiple times - for each conversation around each object. Every time you earn it, the book, movie, an album, etc. will be a added to the list under your Round Table sticker. You can see my sticker here.

Another new sticker is called Magnetic, and it is awarded to people who start conversations with at least 7 participants. Similar to the Round Table, you can earn this sticker multiple times, and the list of books, albums, movies, etc. will be displayed on your sticker.

Unlike most other stickers on Glue, the Round Table and Magnetic sticker depend on participation from other Glue users. These stickers are great to earn together with your friends who are passionate about the same books, movies, music, tv shows and topics as you are.

Have you earned these stickers yet? Let us know what you think!

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