STUFF WE DIG - ISSUE 1

STUFF WE DIG

(aka stuff we’re high on at the moment)

Music

El Camino -- The Black Keys

The stomping bluesy-rock duo recently unveiled its latest album and it’s more of what they do best -- great guitar riffs, groovy baselines and infectious songs. Is it time for them to finally crack into full-on mainstream stardom? Perhaps.

A$AP Rocky

Rocky is a New York rapper with a Houston drawl -- a guy whose music is equal parts Mobb Deep, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and UGK. Many are picking him as a breakout hip-hop star for 2012. Check out his debut mixtape, “Live Love A$AP,” which is a free download at ASAPmob.com. We recommend track No. 14, “Roll One Up.”

Movies

“Safe House”

What can we say? It’s always fun to see Denzel Washington being a bad ass, and that’s what he’s doing here. Alongside co-star Ryan Reynolds, Denzel plays a dangerous ex-CIA operative whose safe house is attacked. Carnage ensues. Sign us up.

 

 

“Mission Impossible IV: Ghost Protocol”

Think what you will about Tom Cruise’s life off the camera, but he sure can deliver as spy Ethan Hunt in the “Mission Impossible” series. “Ghost Protocol,” the fourth film in the series, is a rush. You might be able to still find it in theaters near you. Or watch a little bit and bring the Blu-Ray home.

TV

“Luck”

Looking for the next great HBO series? It might be “Luck,” which is centered around the world of horse racing -- the gamblers, the jockeys, the ups, the downs. The high-powered cast includes Dustin Hoffman, Dennis Farina and Nick Nolte, among others.

 

“Unsupervised”

This new cartoon on FX is one part “Beavis & Butthead,” one part “Bill & Ted” -- with all the wackiness and (hopefully) edginess that made FX’s “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” a favorite. In fact, it comes from the “Always Sunny” team. The show is about two teens who live, as the title suggests, without adult supervision.

Video Games

“SSX”

The “SSX” series is looking to redefine the snowboarding video game. Not only is the new installment about pulling off mind-bending tricks, but you’ll have to make it through missions that pit you against Mother Nature’s most dangerous mountains. Lucky for you, it’s only a video game.

Tech

iLaunch Thunder

We all understand the appeal of a Nerf gun that shoots foam bullets. The iLaunch Thunder takes that idea and makes it 100x more awesome. It’s a moving missile launching station you control with your iPhone or iPad via Bluetooth. It costs $99.99 -- a small price for being the baddest foam-missile shooter on the block. More: dreamcheeky.com.

80-inch 3D LED TV from Sharp

Sorry, Big TV Guy -- Sharp just blew up your spot. Sure, you thought your 55-inch flatscreen brought plenty of wow, then Sharp announced its 80-inch 3D LED TV. It actually has twice as much screen area as the 55-incher, and all the modern bells and whistles, such as Wi-Fi and web apps. Look for it in April and be prepared to drop $5,000.