We’ve expanded the definition of AVQ&A—our weekly thought-starter—by asking you (and us) a simple question each week: What pop culture did you consume this weekend, and what did you think of it? If you have suggestions for AVQ&A questions, big or small, you can e-mail them to us here.  

With the cancellation of The Killing leaving a gap in its programming for shows about frustrating, convoluted mysteries, AMC has begun development on Area 51, a drama about the infamous military base where NOTHING HAS HAPPENED, EVER. The series draws from Annie Jacobsen's non-fiction book of the same name from last…

Filmmakers: Were you aware that The A.V. Club—with some help from our corporate sponsors, Grolsch—is running a short film competition? It’s true. Named Parameter and inspired by Lars Von Trier’s super-restrictive Dogme 95 film movement, it’s open to filmmakers who want to make a three to seven minute short film and…

In the last several years, Alice Walker has virtually abandoned fiction as she’s devoted more of her time to political activism, but she’s still probably best known as the author of The Color Purple. Walker brought her two worlds together with a bang on Sunday, when a letter bearing her signature and addressed to…

Michael Hossack, who drummed off-and-on with the Doobie Brothers since 1971, died from cancer on Monday at the age of 65, Entertainment Weekly and other sources are reporting. Hossack, who the rest of the band knew affectionately as “Big Mike,” was a Navy veteran, joining the Doobie Brothers after a stint in Vietnam.…

Acting on the general principle that if you pack enough stars into a feature film it can’t possibly be bad (right, New Year’s Eve?), Dreamworks has cast a veritable clown car full of actors for its latest animated feature, Turbo. Deadline reports that Ryan Reynolds is the latest to join the cast of the film, which is…

Last October, A.V. Club music editor Steven Hyden launched his 10-part series Whatever Happened To Alternative Nation?, a year-by-year reflection on ’90s rock and his own experiences as a budding music fan growing up in a decade of tremendous promise, change, and disappointment. We’re now happy to announce that the…

In terms of its programming, MTV is dumber than a houseful of guidos. But in terms of how it selects that programming, MTV has always been one of the smartest, savviest kids on the block. It always does its homework (i.e. extensive market research) and sometimes turns that homework into a new series. Compare this…

To paraphrase songwriter and composer Meredith Wilson, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas gift-guide season, as websites and inboxes are aglow with images of handsomely packaged, generously tracklisted reissues, box sets, and other pop artifacts too pricey to purchase during the other three-quarters of the…

What were you doing when you were 18 and 19? It's a safe bet you weren't in an ultra-hyped band on tour halfway around the planet. Despite their almost annoying precociousness, the four Danish teenagers of Iceage have more than earned the buzz with their debut full-length, New Brigade (which is being released in…

Last night’s Oscar ceremony was, by all accounts, the worst thing to happen to television since the premiere of ABC’s Conveyor Belt Of Love. For the Internet, the only way to survive this grueling ordeal was to joke about it relentlessly with friends, as we did last night on the Oscar live-blog. You can relive…

Each year, The A.V. Club turns a collection of our readers’ problems with love, sex, and relationships over to an expert just in time for Valentine’s Day. (Past participants: Slug, Eugene Mirman, and Tim & Eric.) This year, we placed them in the capable hands of Julie Klausner, comedian, Internet presence, and author…

Patton Oswalt is a familiar presence here at The A.V. Club, both as an interview subject and an occasional contributor. In addition to his work as an actor and one of the finest comedians working today, Oswalt is branching out this month with Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, his first book. It came out January 4 via…

A few weeks ago, we received an e-mail from the fine folks at William Grant & Sons with the following subject line “Are you doing a Holiday Gift Guide?” The upshot: If the answer was yes, they would like to send us samples of their top-shelf liquors, which include such brands as Sailor Jerry Rum and Milagro Tequila.…

On Nov. 23, The Criterion Collection is releasing the Blu-ray box set America Lost And Found: The BBS Story, containing seven films made under the auspices of the production company founded by Bob Rafelson, Bert Schneider, and Steve Blauner. (The DVD version of the set comes Dec. 14.) Thanks to the popularity of The…

Oh, the go-for-broke ’90s: when major labels treated their independent counterparts like a minor-league farm system. Flush with money and an unshakeable hubris that they always would be, they promised bands fat recording budgets, better distribution, and maybe stardom with this alternative-rock thing.

Where the first day of Matador At 21 focused on aggressive rock, the second day shifted its attention to mood. Even with noted ass-kickers like Come, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and Superchunk on the bill, the night had a more restrained air with Girls, Perfume Genius, Cat Power, Spoon, and Belle & Sebastian…

“This’ll just be a big love fest,” said Pavement multi-instrumentalist Bob Nastanovich when his band took the stage Friday for the first night of Matador at 21. He was right, of course. The three-day Las Vegas bender (called “The Lost Weekend” by its organizers) celebrating the 21st anniversary of one of the most…

Yesterday, we launched our annual fall film preview by reminding readers about the Oscar-O-Meter™, a handy prognosticating formula that measures Academy interest in upcoming films on a scale of 1 to 10. Today, we wrap up the rest of the prestige season into a neat little list, suitable for framing, collecting, and…