Trivial Tuesday

With Star Trek coming out this week, I figure why not make it three questions in a row that have to do with Star Trek. As you have probably heard by now thanks to the non-stop media blitz leading up to the movie's release, Eric Bana plays Nero, a Romulan who travels through time. In an interesting coincidence, Bana also refuses to be temporally bound in his next film. What novel-adaptation is his next role?

Answer quickly to earn a fleeting sense of superiority over your friends.

Also, did I make this one way too easy? It feels like it to me.

Trivial Tuesday

Back in the late 80's ('87 or so), a group had their first, and biggest, hit with a song called "Heart and Soul." This band took its name from a minor Star Trek character from the original series first season episode, Amok Time (later parodied in many places, including the Futurama episode "Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?"). Name the musical group or the character. It's your choice, since the answer is the same either way.

Trivial Tuesday

Last week's question had a Kal Penn connection. This week we're moving on to John Cho, who you probably know is starring as Sulu in the new Star Trek film this summer. One of the most impressive pieces of casting information (No, not that Cameron from House is going to be Captain Kirk's mom.) was that Leonard Nimoy is going to appear in the film.

Nimoy has done television work and cartoon voice-over work more recently, but he hasn't been in a live action feature since what 1991 movie?

Comment with your answer and win a prize*.



*First Prize is a feeling of accomplishment. Prize has no cash value and is not tangible.

Trivial Tuesday

You know, it would be nice if I took the time to actually do this every week instead of randomly like this is some sort of pop quiz.

Before I begin, let me issue a warning, this question is going to have spoilers for the April 6th episode of House, so please if you watch the show, but are a bit behind on your DVR watching, step away now.

Ready?

Good.

It's been a little over a week since the demise of my almost-namesake on House. Coincidentally, around ten years ago, one of the other people in the episode also played a doctor who took his own life. Who is the actor and on what TV drama did this occur?

Answer, as always, in the comment section.

Trivial Tuesday

Slumdog Millionaire won the Best Picture Oscar on Sunday night. (Letting you know in case you haven't had any exposure to television, radio, the internet or a newspaper since then.) As you probably heard during the Oscar telecast, the film was based on a book called Q & A by Vikas Swarup. This was not the first time Danny Boyle has directed a movie based on a book. In fact, it was the third. The first time was the movie Trainspotting. What film starring Leonardo DiCaprio was the other adaptation of a novel directed by Boyle?

Bragging rights are at stake. Impress me and impress your friends by commenting with the correct answer.

Trivial Tuesday: The Triumphant Return

It's been far too long since I've done this. I don't even know who's still out there that will bother to comment or try to answer, but here we go anyway.

We're rapidly approaching the mercy killing that is the ER series finale. ER was responsible for giving a boost to the careers of several actors, including George Clooney. It's pretty well known that Clooney also starred on the short-lived sitcom E/R earlier in his career; however, he is not the only person to have appeared on both shows. What Battlestar Galactica actress also appeared on both E/R and ER?^*

First person to comment with the correct answer wins bragging rights, but nothing of actual value.

^*How many hints did I give you in that one sentence? Not doing this in such a long time has apparently made me go easy on you.

Trivial Tuesday

In an episode of the Simpsons, Grampa declares the the metric system to be the work of the devil, saying "my car gets 40 rods to the hogshead." While the hogshead may not be quite so easy to define (it is around 50 or 60 gallons, but varies depending on what is measured), the rod was a standard measure of distance. Just how far was his car going on a 40th of a hogshead? (Put much more simply, how long is a rod?)

And yes, Grampa's car got really, really bad mileage.

Trivial Tuesday

Haven't done this in a while. Let's see if anyone's still out there...

In the Fox television show House, Dr. Wilson has movie posters up on the walls of his office. One of them is for Vertigo, but the only one I ever seem to notice is the other poster, for this film-noir classic.

Think you know what it is? Then maybe you should tell us in the comments section.

Update: Congrats to Brian who came through with the correct answer Touch of Evil.

Trivial Tuesday

The 1904 St. Louis World's Fair had a lasting impact on food and culture in the United States. Among the foods that were either first introduced or were widely popularized as a result of the event are the ice cream cone, hamburgers, hot dogs, peanut butter and which soft drink that is still sold today?

Trivial Tuesday

One of the new television shows starting this fall is Chuck, starring Zachary Levi. Before starring in Chuck, Levi starred in what sitcom from 2002 to 2006?

Nothing? Anyone? Anyone? It was Less Than Perfect.

Trivial Tuesday

Ok, I haven't been doing this recently, so let's try to get back in the swing of things.

I'm going to steal a page out of Danielle's book here. I'll give you the description from the back of DVD cases and you have to tell me what the movie is. Simple, right?

1. After returning from World War II, a young GI finds that he has little in common with the wife he left behind. Disillusioned, he heads north to work as a travelling salesman. There he meets the daughter of a wealthy vineyard owner. On her way home, she is terrified of what her domineering father will do when he learns she is unmarried and pregnant. the young man gallantly offers to help by posing as her husband for one night, unaware that doing so will change both their lives forever.

2. When (character) leaves to seek his fortune, his true love is captured by an evil prince. Will he return in time to save her? Can he battle wizards, warriors and pirates set in his way? You'll find out in this "wonderfully inventive" film for all ages!

3. Using the style and technique that were to make him famous, (Director) gained immediate audience sympathy for the plight of his central character, an innocent Canadian who, while visiting England, is implicated in the theft of natural secrets and murder. The music hall sequence with the remarkable memory act is unforgettable. A (Director) masterpiece!

Tell me the movies in comments section and impress your friends.

Trivial Tuesday

Today is David Duchovny's birthday. Back in the 1990's Duchovny was on The X-Files and played an FBI agent named Fox Mulder. (Oh, come on, you didn't think it would be that easy, did you?) During the height of X-Files mania (just a year or so before the movie), he starred in a not so successful movie called Playing God. Starring opposite him was a future Academy Award winning actress who had not yet reached full star status. Who was she?

Trivial Tuesday

In 2006, illness forced Cuban leader Fidel Castro to transfer power for the first time in his lengthy tenure. Castro first took power after the Cuban Revolution which ended when Batista fled the country in what year?

Trivial Tuesday

How about science as our category today? In fact, let's make it food science.

Chocolate is enjoyable for humans and toxic to some animals like dogs. The chemical responsible for this toxicity is an alkaloid similar in structure to caffeine. What is this compound, with a name that comes from the Greek words for food of the gods?

Congrats to Itchy who was only off by a letter in remembering that it is theobromine.

Trivial Tuesday

The 1986 film Stand By Me tells the story of four young friends who go looking for the body of child who was hit by a train. Wil Wheaton played Gordie, while Chris and Teddy were played by River Phoenix and Corey Feldman, respectively. Who played Vern, the fourth in their group of friends?

Trivial Tuesday

In the late 19th and early 20th century there was an uprising in China by a group known as the Righteous Harmony Society who objected to foreign influence. By what English name is this uprising commonly known?

Trivial Tuesday

In the 1980's, no artist was as successful or as much of a cultural phenomenon as Michael Jackson. Whether wearing a single glove or performing his signature dance, the moonwalk, Jackson was sure to spark imitators. The moonwalk debuted in 1983 at the Motown 25 concert during a performance of what Michael Jackson hit?

Congratulations to Invisible Lizard who remembered that it was Billie Jean. Coincidentally, I saw a show on VH1 this weekend (i.e. after posting the question and after it was answered) where they mentioned the very first moonwalk.

Trivial Tuesday

The Sopranos recently ended its run on HBO, angering many fans with its final scene. My question today, however, refers back to earlier seasons. For five seasons, Drea de Matteo portrayed Adriana on The Sopranos. Eventually, her character was written off the show, and de Matteo went on to play in what short lived spin-off from a popular sitcom?

Trivial Tuesday

In 2005, the series Doctor Who returned to television with Christopher Eccleston as the ninth Doctor. After only one season, Eccleston left the show and was replaced by David Tennant.

More recently Eccleston was seen (sometimes) in a guest starring role on a US science fiction TV show. What was that show?

Trivial Tuesday

I posted earlier about the new Fox show, On The Lot. The guest judge for the audition round was Brett Ratner, who directed several films including X-Men 3 and all three Rush Hour movies. His first feature length film also starred Chris Tucker of Rush Hour fame, but paired him with Charlier Sheen rather than Jackie Chan. What was the name of Ratner's first film?

Congrats to JenBen who knew it was Money Talks.