the buzz log

Take your age of reason, your proofs, your inductive methods to life. Give us doomsday scenarios and Mayan prophecies anyday. Science fiction fans have been abuzz over either "2012: Doomsday," released in video on February 12, or Roland Emmerich's big-screen version coming to theaters in 2009.

The video's tagline describes "a modern Christian epic in the tradition of 'Omega Code' and 'Left Behind.'" Any mix of religious overtones, ancient civilizations, and end-of-world scenarios pretty much guarantees the perfect online storm: Variations for searches on "2012 doomsday movie" have risen more than 1,200%, pushing the term into the top 3,000 terms in the past 7 days.

The mostly male fans aged 13-54 aren't merely tracking the movie poster and trailer. Investigations into the "2012 doomsday prophecy" and "prophecy cycle" are plentiful as searches for the film, and they in turn have led to online archaelogical forays into Mayan culture: "mayan calendar," "mayan culture," "mayan sacrifice," and the pre-Columbian site "chichen itza." Turns out there is an entire Wiki page dedicated to what could happen four years from now, replete with "how to survive" tips. (Includes plastic sheeting, a whistle to call for help, peanut butter, and fallout shelter.)

"2012: Doomsday" may turn out to be a creative franchise. The director and writers behind the romantic comedy "Failure to Launch" plan to do a version for Paramount Pictures' Nickelodeon Movies. If the end of the world isn't fodder for a feel-good family movie, we don't know what is.