In this Sunday’s Boston Globe, I take a look at how hashtagging has become the perfect vehicle for self-directed sarcasm, used by celebrities and common folk alike. Take a look at how a pro does it: the tech-savvy actor Wil Wheaton (who began earning geek cred back when he played Ensign Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation) recently tried to link to pictures of himself on the set of The Big Bang Theory. After he gave the wrong link, he tweeted, “I love that I’m trying to be all clever, and then I epic fail at basic linking. #lessonsinhumility #facepalm #hashtag.” (If his use of “epic fail” seems unusual, check out my On Language column and Word Routes followup on recent transformations of fail.) Wheaton uses the self-effacing “#lessonsinhumility” hashtag, followed by “#facepalm” (“the act of bringing one’s palm to one’s face to indicate embarrassment, exasperation, or despair,” says Wordspy), capped off by a meta-ironic touch, a “#hashtag” hashtag.

The rest of this article is fascinating reading for language & infosci geeks like myself, and the mention of Wil Wheaton didn’t hurt.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

Missing Pieces is a story about a man who’s lost everything and his misguided attempts to put it back together. An emotional enigma about love and loneliness… and a kidnapping.

David (Mark Boone Jr. – Sons of Anarcy, Batman Begins, Memento) tries again and again to win back the love of his life, Delia (Melora Walters – Magnolia, Cold Mountain, Big Love), but she’s not having it. As the situation turns hopeless, David concocts a master scheme that will surely win her back and turn it around.

Through interwoven, poignant vignettes, this multi-plot tale unfolds and untangles into a truly unique and heartfelt love story about finding hope when all is lost.

Now we all get to watch this movie, and for less than the price of a movie ticket! It’s only $4 through Prescreen for the next twelve hours, and $8 after that until 21 November. (Thanks to Kenton Bartlett for the heads up. Best of luck with your movie!)

A link to the “Missing Pieces” promo trailer was forwarded along to me last month. I am just now getting through a huge email backlog, so I hadn’t watched it until just a few minutes ago.

The festival trailer is more emotionally compelling. Also, if you want the short plot summary from the filmmaker, it is: “a heartbroken man kidnaps two strangers in hopes they will fall in love.”

The trailers are lovely, and the plot is intriguing, so I want to see this movie. If you want to see this movie too, please help by getting the word out.

Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!