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Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 15, 2014 in Hobbies and Collections, Videogames 
LEGO Ideas has been delivering some great stuff recently, but this one really stood out: a Plants vs. Zombies playset. This particular one designed by Jin Kai Soo on LEGO Ideas blows all other PvZ sets out of the water, in both design and presentation. From the moveable plants to the collection of zombies, I’m really impressed by the cohesiveness of the whole set. The best part: it’s not overly ambitious like most LEGO Ideas sets and aims directly for the right size LEGO usually approves. Now it just needs the votes! Head on over to the Ideas page to see more images and vote! Read more…
Tags: Lego, Plants vs. Zombies
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 15, 2014 in Cinema, Hobbies and Collections 
The potential buyers for Dreamworks Animation continue to stream by! Back in September we heard that Softbank was interested in buying the animation company, but talks quickly died out. Now, toy giant Hasbro is currently in talks to pick them up. This is a potentially big deal because Hasbro would certainly love to put many of its toy brands into CGI animated blockbusters. And hey, the potential for a good Transformers film from the How To Train Your Dragon crew is pretty exciting to contemplate. I’m certain there’s also a desire to replicate the success of the LEGO Movie, which this could possibly do for Hasbro. We’ll keep an eye out to see if these talks go through! Till then, imagine what Hasbro toy you’d most like to see as an animated film! Read more…
Tags: Dreamworks, Hasbro
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 14, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Warner Bros., despite all their struggles getting a Wonder Woman film made, seem to finally be on track. The biggest news we heard is that they were specifically looking for a female director to tackle the film, to embrace the origins and message of Wonder Woman. I thought that was a great idea, and it looks like Warner may have found their director: Michelle MacLaren. MacLaren is most famous for her work directing episodes of Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones. I think it’s a great choice and a perfect way for MacLaren to jump into feature film directing. Her TV work has been great, so I can’t wait to see how this turns out. Let’s hope those talks don’t fall through! Read more…
Tags: Michelle MacLaren, Wonder Woman
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 14, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
With so much support behind him now, James Gunn has a lot to live up to with Guardians of the Galaxy 2. He recently gave an update on where he is on the film, saying that the story is laid out and finished, and next is to script it. He was pretty happy with his position now: “The cosmic side of the universe is its own thing. And because the movie was so successful, it was more successful than Iron Man was, that changed the way other people looked at it but I still look at it the same way.” He went on to say regarding the story, “we can’t just repeat ourselves.” He also noted that the 2nd film needed to explore “what their flaws are, what their strengths are. They’re a much more flawed group than The Avengers. They have major major issues.” Sounds fun! Read more below. Read more…
Tags: Guardians of the Galaxy
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 13, 2014 in Cinema, Horror 
Universal is taking a page from the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the Universal Monster Universe, a reboot of their classic horror films all set in the same universe. Dracula Untold is sort of the unofficial start, with The Mummy reboot to be the actual start in 2016. But one and a half films does not a universe make. Are they making more? If you read the headline, then yes, Universal wants a new Wolf Man movie, perhaps to make people forget about The Wolfman from 2010. And they have already arranged for Prisoners writer Aaron Guzikowski to write it, so things are moving. Hopefully they can make future films better than Dracula Untold, though — the reason the MCU took off was because the movies were good or great, in addition to being part of a bigger story. Read more…
Tags: Universal, werewolf, Wolfman
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 13, 2014 in Science, Tech 
While probes have played around comets before, none have ever landed on a comet — until now. The European Space Agency is finally seeing the payoff for a mission they started way back in March 2004, when they launched the unmanned Rosetta spacecraft and its lander Philae. While the Rosetta met up with the comet back in July, it took weeks to fly around the comet and determine a safe place to land. Operations were complicated by the Rosetta having to travel over 6 billion kilometers to meet up with the comet’s path; at that distance, even light-speed transmissions take almost half an hour to reach Earth, so any control had to be calculated and input well ahead of landing. Despite some bumps (including the securing harpoons not firing, resulting in a bounce and a second landing), it seems Philae is running smoothly now and will be collecting data through about March 2015, when it builds up too much heat. The Rosetta will at least operate through December 2015, but could go longer if the fuel holds out. Congratulations, ESA! Now get some cool data! Read more…
Tags: Space, Space Exploration, spaceships
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 12, 2014 in Videogames 
It’s been a while since Just Cause 2 came out, way back in 2010. For those who played Grand Theft Auto just to bounce from one mad encounter to the next, it was the epitome of a great sandbox game. Fans will soon be pulling more crazy stunts, as Game Informer has revealed their latest cover story, Just Cause 3. Developed once again by Avalanche Studios, Square Enix will publish the game in 2015 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Further details are for subscribers, but I can already imagine what this sequel will be like with the added power of modern systems. Read more…
Tags: Just Cause, PS4, square enix, Xbox One
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 12, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
For a character with a name like “Doctor Doom” to work, you have to make sure he owns that name. You might as well make it his real name, Victor von Doom, and have him rule his own country. But in The Fantastic Four, the reboot directed by Chronicle‘s Josh Trank, Doom’s origin is much more “ultra-real” and “lo-fi,” according to his new actor Toby Kebbell. Now the man who becomes Doctor Doom is Victor Domashev, because no one is named “Doom” in real life. And Domashev is an anti-social programmer, who goes by “Doom” online. I’m not saying the original basis for the character isn’t a bit hokey, but this new origin is really hokey. It reminds me of using the same online handle as my D&D character in high school. Maybe the other parts of the film are better? I mean, you can’t go too “ultra-real” in a movie about “fantastic” people, right? Read more…
Tags: Dr. Doom, Fantastic Four
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 11, 2014 in Cinema, Horror, Television 
Okay, so they’re not making Army of Darkness 2, but that doesn’t mean we’re not getting any follow-up. Starz has ordered ten half-hour episodes of Ash vs. Evil Dead, a sequel that gets the gang back together. Sam Raimi has reunited with producer Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell; though Raimi is only directing the first episode, he co-wrote the series with Ivan Raimi (who will co-executive produce) and Tom Spezialy. It sounds like it’s set in the same continuity, not the new reboot continuity, and will see Campbell’s Ash once again fighting the Deadite menace to save mankind. I am always up for seeing Ash kill more things, so I’ll be looking forward to it! Read more…
Tags: bruce campbell, Evil Dead
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 11, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
The Joker has traditionally worked alone, at least in the Batman movies. But in Batman: The Animated Series, he had a partner in Harley Quinn, who proved so popular that she was added to the comics. Since we’re hearing rumors about the Joker in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, why not some rumors for Harley? Supposedly Margot Robbie is going to be cast as the villainess in the 2016 movie, having previously caught a lot of attention in The Wolf of Wall Street. She has previously been rumored to be signed on to Suicide Squad in some capacity, so this casting would fit. I just hope that they show Harley in her classic jester’s outfit, but it might be a bit too out there for what is likely to be gritty and realistic. Read more…
Tags: Suicide Squad, Warner Brothers
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 10, 2014 in Cinema, Videogames 
Duncan Jones, who made the fantastic sci-fi film Moon, is making a Warcraft movie. You may have heard about this! At Blizzcon, Jones debuted some early imagery for fans, such as the first posters for the film, images of the actors, and costumes used in filming. They’re currently deep into post-production on the film, mostly doing CGI. In fact, the film doesn’t come out till March 11th, 2016, so it’s still quite a ways off. Still, it looks like Jones has a huge love for the world and wants to do it right. Check out the posters (featuring both the Horde and Alliance weapons) and the costumes below. Read more…
Tags: Blizzard, Duncan Jones, Warcraft
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 10, 2014 in Cinema 
It’s finally time: after Heath Ledger’s amazing performance several years ago in The Dark Knight, Warner Bros. is preparing to cast the Joker for their movie universe. However, the first place he’ll show up is a little surprising: it appears WB is casting Joker for the upcoming Suicide Squad film directed by David Ayer. And the person eyed for the Joker role? Jared Leto. The Oscar-winner hasn’t been doing much since Dallas Buyers Club, as he wants to find a suitable follow-up. Being the Joker in WB’s movie universe might just be the way to go! We’ll have to see how this all turns out, but could this be the right choice? Read more…
Tags: Batman, Suicide Squad, The Joker, Warner Brothers
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 9, 2014 in Hobbies and Collections 
Yes, the user-submitted LEGO project has gotten itself another license approved. Several ideas jumped the 10,000 supporter hurdle, but only two made it through: the Big Bang Theory, and birds. No, not the Hitchcock film. Just regular birds. And they’re adorable! I honestly couldn’t care less about the Big Bang Theory set, but these birds are wonderfully made, and I can’t wait to see LEGO’s final version of them (all the sets essentially have to be “redone” by LEGO and approved for mass-production. They don’t use the sets submitted as-is). Check out some more images below along with the announcement video, then read the official blog post with more details here! Read more…
Tags: Lego, The Big Bang Theory
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 9, 2014 in Videogames 
Blizzcon is going on as of this writing, which means there’s tons of news from Blizzard about all their upcoming games and projects. The biggest announcement from Blizzard was of their new game, Overwatch. It’s a cartoony team-based multiplayer shooter with lots of characters to play as. A few elements remind me of a certain other team game with fortresses, but this is pretty unique in its own regard. I love the variety in character design, especially. Blizzard has unleashed a bunch of gameplay videos that you can see here. The lead gameplay trailer is below, along with the CGI announcement trailer, which is mighty impressive and feels like something out of a Dreamworks movie. Check it out! Read more…
Tags: Blizzard, Overwatch
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 8, 2014 in Anime 
You may have heard of Studio Khara, the group of folks behind the Neon Genesis Evangelion films, founded by series creator Hideaki Anno. His studio has been working on those mostly, but recently have taken time to create several original short films. The first short films is titled The Dragon Dentist, and is a unique piece directed by novelist Otaro Maijo, who also wrote the script. It features a young girl signing up to be a “dragon dentist” to help contribute in a war, but not really knowing what she’s getting into. No embed here, but English subtitles are available: just click here and make sure “EN” is selected in the top right, and then choose “English Subtitles” below the video. I’ve included some of the concept art below the break. Read more…
Tags: Short Films, Studio Khara
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 8, 2014 in Animation, Cinema 
Yes, even Pixar can’t stay away from the lure of sequels. Disney announced in their most recent investors call that a new Toy Story film would be coming on June 16th, 2017. Toy Story 4, it’s official title so far, will be written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack. In a surprise to many, John Lasseter himself will be directing the picture, making this his first time directing since Cars 2 in 2011. There had been plenty of rumors floating around about a fourth film, so it’s really not that surprising, but I still can’t help but wonder how this’ll turn out. Toy Story 3 ended on a perfect note — I’m not sure what else you can add to the story! Read more…
Tags: Pixar, Toy Story
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 7, 2014 in Cinema 
The final Hobbit film is almost here: it jumps into theaters on December 17th. The trailer honestly looks pretty, but it’s not really grabbing me. I still feel that The Hobbit trilogy should have been just two films. But hey, everything has to be a trilogy or a multi-film universe these days, so I guess I’m not surprised. Looks like there’s lots of fighting between the five armies, which will satisfy most people. I’m also surprised that there’s no Smaug in this trailer! It’s almost like despite the cliffhanger ending of the second film, everyone knows what happens in the end… Hmm! Check out the trailer below. Read more…
Tags: The Hobbit
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 7, 2014 in Star Wars 
We finally have gotten a title for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. So… what’s your opinion? It seems to follow the same rhythm and titling that previous Star Wars films featured, and it’s also the first time the Force is mentioned in a Star Wars film name. I’m going to assume this has to do with the Force slowly coming back into play after the defeat of the Sith in episode VI. A lot of folks also think that the reason we’re hearing the title now is because a teaser trailer will be out before the end of the year. I hope that’s true, even if it’s just a tiny teaser. Come on Disney, show us what you’ve got! Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, The Force Awakens
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 6, 2014 in Videogames 
Splatoon may not look to be as immersive as some upcoming games are, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t look really, really fun. I wanted to play this badly after Nintendo announced it at E3, because a nonviolent shooter that lets you turn into a squid to travel along the paint you spray sounds amazing (and fresh). But it seemed like a multiplayer-focused game, and while it does look fun, I generally seek out singleplayer games. Lucky me, it turns out there will be a singleplayer campaign too! Naturally, you’re fighting evil octopi, since those are the squid’s cephalopod rivals. This is now a must-buy for me, and hopefully for you too! Read more…
Tags: Nintendo, Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 6, 2014 in Videogames 
After gamers got finished playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, the 3DS enhanced port of the classic N64 game, there was one question: when would we get The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D? Though the unconventional sequel wasn’t originally held in high regard, critical opinion has come to hold Majora’s Mask as one of the most creative, unique entries in the Zelda series. This is due to its dark, strange, and often scary tone, as well as tough, weird mechanics that reinforce the setting. Nintendo has played coy about whether they would port the game to 3DS, though fans expected it to be technologically possible. Finally, Nintendo has confirmed that Majora’s Mask 3D would release on 3DS in Spring 2015. The announcement trailer shows just how strange the adventure can be. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Legend of Zelda, Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 5, 2014 in Videogames 
Despite being associated with violent first-person shooters thanks to media attention, the Grand Theft Auto series hasn’t actually had a first-person option. But that changes with the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto V on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Perhaps to help add value to what is mostly a graphical upgrade — GTAV was already released on PS3 and Xbox 360 last fall — this new version has a first-person mode, as well as various other minor changes, mostly to Grand Theft Auto Online. It’s certainly more immersive, but seeing as the game wasn’t originally designed with this in mind, I wouldn’t be surprised if it works better in certain scenarios, while others feel a bit looser. But hey, it’s a good option to have for those who want to try it. You can check it out for yourself on November 18, while PC gamers have to wait until January. Read more…
Tags: Grand Theft Auto, PS4, Rockstar, Xbox One
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 5, 2014 in Comic Books, Television 
The Batman live-action TV series that ran from 1966-1968 (hence the nickname Batman ’66) may be quite a bit campier than the more popular dark, gritty Batman characterization that’s popular today. But it’s still a classic, and now it’s finally getting released on DVD and Blu-ray on November 11. Naturally, there’s a new restoration to make the HD version worth it, but I doubted how much better an old TV series like this could look. Was it worth bragging about the restoration? After watching this split-screen comparison Warner Brothers put out, I’ve had to eat my words. Actors are crisp instead of blurry shapes, and the color isn’t blown out anymore. Of course, not everyone will spring for the limited edition Blu-ray set, as $269.97 is pricey even if you’re getting 120 episodes and a bunch of extras. At least there are some other cheaper options, especially if you settle for DVD. After all, it’s not like the producers expected viewers to be able to watch this in HD back when it was made! Read more…
Tags: Batman, Warner Brothers
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 4, 2014 in Animation, Television 
Archer got a sort of reboot with season 5, Archer: Vice, as the employees of spy agency ISIS went into the drug business. It worked because it’s ultimately the characters that make the show work, and since the creators seemed tired of writing about spies, it gave the show a new direction. But apparently the creators found more to say, because this season 6 trailer shows the crew going back to work at ISIS — er, the CIA. (Due to Islamic extremists using the ISIS acronym, the show will see ISIS merged into the CIA, as Archer will not use the word going forward to avoid confusion.) The trailer shows the crew reuniting and going back to work. I’m looking forward to the new episodes, but in future seasons, I wouldn’t mind another plot shift for the hell of it. Read more…
Tags: Archer
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 4, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books, Television 
Alongside a young Howard Stark, Hayley Atwell’s character Peggy Carter is becoming synonymous with the early days of S.H.I.E.L.D., at least in Marvel’s movies and TV series. After first appearing as Captain America’s girlfriend in Cap’s first film, she has appeared as an old woman in the sequel, garnered her own short film Agent Carter, and now has an Agent Carter TV series airing this January based on the prior short. She even cameos in the first episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s second season, as well as a flashback in Avengers: Age of Ultron. So where is she showing up next? Supposedly Ant-Man, which raises a few questions. Read more…
Tags: Agent Carter, ant-man, Marvel
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