One of the many consequences stemming from the death of hip hop is the complete fucking absence of a summer jam in 2009. Luckily, tons of other genres, musical and otherwise, happen to be alive, breathing, and flourishing.

Brian and Spencer discuss Up and the pros and cons of 3D, InFamous on PS3, Punch Out! on Wii, albums by Grizzly Bear and The Rural Alberta Advantage, plus Friday Night Lights and the book House of Cards with bonus guest, James. And fart jokes.

Brian and Spencer discuss Star Trek, Free Comic Book Day featuring Atomic Robo and Ex Machina, Richard Price’s novel, Lush Life, new music by Japandroids, digging out old music after a hard drive crash, and the application of Newton’s laws to celebrities. But not in that order.

Beloved author Dave Eggers tries his hand at two screenplays, the Game Developers’ Choice Awards highlight creators’ favorites, and possibly the first truly great Batman game in ‘Arkham Asylum’.

What makes Klosterman such an interesting writer is a keen eye for human behavior, not just artistic expression. And that’s why ‘Downtown Owl’ works.

Our panel of two sat down for an epic virtual discussion of our absolute favorite things of the year, in every category we could think of, and why each one made the list.

Director Todd Field has what it takes to bring ‘Blood Meridian’ to life: now all we need are the people acting in front of the camera to be capable of matching Field’s discipline and talent.

An insightful look at the life of DFW, a discussion of over-and-under-rated directors, and a movie download battle continues.

Behind the scenes of Henry Selick’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman, another of many articles on why ‘The Daily Show’ beats real news, and a trailer with some familiar touches.

The man behind the Mountain Goats makes his book debut with an entry into the 33 1/3 series. But tackling Black Sabbath’s ‘Master of Reality’ in the form of a novella is more than just a novelty.