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Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 22, 2013 in Cinema 
Here’s something I hadn’t been closely paying attention to: the new Mad Max movie. I’ve been so out of the loop I didn’t even realize they were making one. It will feature Tom Hardy now in the titular role, and the original director George Miller has returned as well. They’re apparently doing some reshoots right now, but the film itself won’t be out until May 15, 2015. Now, that’s a pretty crowded summer already, so I’m not sure this is the wisest decision. Summer 2015 already has Avengers 2, Tomorrowland, Batman vs. Superman, the Terminator reboot, and so much more lined up. Will Mad Max be able to battle against that? Read more…
Tags: mad max
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 21, 2013 in Cinema 
Even after Disney successfully made a good Muppets movie in 2011, it’s hard for me to not still be skeptical of a sequel in the same way that I was before the previous movie. Hollywood is drowning in sequels, remakes, and reboots, and it’s rare that any are anything more than merely competent. It doesn’t help that Jason Segel was a major creative force behind The Muppets, but is not involved with the sequel at all. But you know what? Let’s think positively, because based on this trailer, Muppets Most Wanted is probably going to be allllllright. Read more…
Tags: Disney, The Muppets
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 21, 2013 in Cinema 
It’s made the festival circuit, but chances are you haven’t seen Aningaaq, a seven-minute companion short to Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity. That film is one of the best science fiction (in the literal sense: fiction about science) films in a long time and a sure-bet for a Best Picture nomination at the next Oscars. Without spoiling too much for those who haven’t seen the film, Aningaaq is about a titular Inuit man in Greenland who is contacted by Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) at a critical point in her story. It’s a great scene in the movie, but what’s interesting is how this short so perfectly matches the themes of isolation and survival found in the movie, but in different circumstances. Even grounded on Earth, the scene is touching in its poignance, regardless of whether or not you have seen the movie. Read more…
Tags: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity, Science Fiction, Warner Brothers
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 20, 2013 in Cinema 
What do you do when your franchise needs new ideas? Send it into space! They did it with Jason X, they did it with Super Mario Galaxy, and director Robert Rodriguez is teasing it with this fake trailer that aired before Machete Kills in October. If you didn’t go see it in theaters, you can see it here. Machete Kills Again…In Space is partially riffing on Star Wars, but I’ll let you see that for yourself. Now the only question is whether or not someone will put forth the money to make this sequel…or if it will be reasonably tied to any prior continuity, what with it, you know, being in space and all. Read more…
Tags: Sci-Fi, Space
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 20, 2013 in Anime 
I know that Disney had previously said that it would release The Wind Rises in select North American theaters on February 21, 2014 (with a wider release on February 28 and an Academy Awards-qualifying run in NYC and LA last week), but I still have a hard time believing it. Though they have the right of first refusal on all Studio Ghibli films, they had passed on their previous films From Up on Poppy Hill. And though this is the last film directed by Hayao Miyazaki, I kind of figured they’d pass on The Wind Rises due to it not only being an adult-focused film, but one that offers a semi-biographical look at the man who invented one of the most efficient planes that Japan used in WWII, something that is controversial in Asia. But luckily, they’re releasing it under Touchstone Pictures, and here’s the trailer to prove it! Read more…
Tags: Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 19, 2013 in Videogames 
Took them long enough! Square Enix has finally announced a Western release date for their HD remastering of Final Fantasy X & X-2 that has taken entirely too long to produce. At least their work looks great, with reorchestrated music and redone models in certain places, besides the game being presented in widescreen and HD. You can check out the improvements yourself on March 18, or March 21 in Europe. As a reminder, this collection includes most full-featured versions of the games: Final Fantasy X International, Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission, and a 14-minute video bridging the two games called Final Fantasy X Eternal Calm. If you preorder the game, you’ll get it in nice limited edition packaging that holds the game in a book of concept art and commentary, similar to Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX. I’ve had mine preordered for what feels like forever, but watch this new trailer if you’re not yet convinced. Read more…
Tags: Final Fantasy, PS3, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 19, 2013 in Cinema 
While most adults might gravitate more towards The Muppets instead of Sesame Street, the kid’s show still has a lot to offer adults looking for cute skits and parodies, especially those with Cookie Monster. While I could care less about Elmo, Grover, and the others, Cookie Monster has never really got old, even surviving the program’s need to point out that cookies are a “sometimes food.” (Check out this skit with game developer Tim Schafer as proof!) His latest skit has him playing the role of Cookieness Evereat in a parody of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. While the brutal nature of the games has been completely toned down to “The Hungry Games,” there’s a lot to like here. I think it’s particularly damning that Peeta can be replaced with a pita named Pita and nothing is lost from his character. Read more…
Tags: Muppets, parody, The Hunger Games
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 18, 2013 in Comic Books, Television 
In their search for the next big thing, AMC is looking in places you might not expect. Badass Digest is reporting that they’re hearing from multiple sources that AMC has ordered a pilot of Preacher, a TV adaption of the crazy comic. A lot of people out there are big fans of Preacher, and many have tried to get it made into a film before. Then, to add to the hype, Seth Rogen tweeted that he might get to bring one of his “favorite stories ever” to life. Following which he then said “Arseface. John Wayne, The Saint of Killers,” referencing two characters in the series. Could Preacher become AMC’s next big thing? I have my doubts, but who knows that the future holds? Read more…
Tags: Preacher, Vertigo
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 18, 2013 in Television 
There has been no shortage of jokes about Bryan Cranston and the links between his character on Breaking Bad and his character on Malcolm in the Middle. I’ve seen so many comics, posters, or other mash-ups of the two that it almost became tiring. Actually, scratch that, it did become tiring. But this alternate ending for Breaking Bad simply blows all the rest out of the water and does the joke right. I won’t spoil anything for you, just hop below the jump and watch it, but suffice to say, the entire thing takes a more than a few hints from the famous finale of Newhart (which I’m sure will fly over the heads of most average Breaking Bad viewers). Still, it’s a great bit, and you get to see a familiar face too! Read more…
Tags: AMC, breaking bad
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 17, 2013 in Videogames 
Sure, the PS4 just came out, and yes, the Xbox One arrives next week. But you know what I’m really excited for? Forget all that next-gen junk! I’m ready for Super Mario 3D World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds! Both games arrive on November 22nd, and Zelda will also come with the gold 3DS system if you’re so inclined. This final launch trailer for the game shows off a little bit of everything: story, gameplay, and new features. It’s been getting rave reviews so far, proclaiming it one of the best Zelda games ever, so if you’ve been out of the Zelda loop for a bit, maybe now is a great time to jump back in! The trailer is embedded below. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Legend of Zelda, Nintendo
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 17, 2013 in Television 
I say it’s probably a 99% chance that the previously announced Walking Dead spinoff TV show will be a prequel. Why? Because a) it will make for more interesting TV, and b) because TV Line says that’s what they’re hearing. As I said, I think a prequel makes the most sense and will allow for take the series into new ground. It also shouldn’t be set anywhere near the original show, and never cross over with it. Thankfully, it seems series creator Robert Kirkman agrees, as he recently said in and interview that, “It definitely won’t be set in Georgia,” and that “It’s important to us that this show exists on its own. The spin-off has to be a show worthy of existing, or else we’ve all sold out.” Great to hear that, buddy! But about the whole selling-out thing… Read more…
Tags: The Walking Dead
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 16, 2013 in Fandom, Videogames 
Evan Daugherty is slowly crawling his way up in Hollywood, writing films like Snow White and the Huntsman and the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. His most recent project was directing and writing 4 shorts that were a gritty reinterpretation of Super Mario Bros. Yes, I know. Roll your eyes, as this has been done many times already by many other people. Daugherty definitely comes away with some differences though, especially in Toad’s video which feels heavily inspired by Guillermo del Toro’s monsters for Toad’s design. Mario and Luigi’s videos are equally interesting and silly, but Peach’s definitely feels like it’s all over the place. Still, it’s a fascinating attempt, and I did really like Toad’s film. Check out all four below! Read more…
Tags: Mario Brothers, Short Films
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 16, 2013 in Star Wars 
Oh, who else did you expect? Yup, here’s a picture of JJ Abrams and crew standing with R2-D2 in the Bad Robot offices. Nothing too earth-shattering, but if you wanted real proof that new Star Wars movies are happening, then this is it! The real question is: will Kenny Baker return? I sure hope so. It wouldn’t be R2 without him! I also considered Anthony Daniels as C-3PO a given as well, so while that isn’t confirmed, I think that a Star Wars movie without the pair would be poor choice. They’re the real main characters, after all! Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, J.J. Abrams
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 15, 2013 in Cinema 
Disney’s twisted retelling (or remake… or alternate story?) of Sleeping Beauty isn’t arriving until May of next year, but it’s not too soon for a teaser trailer! Angelina Jolie seems like the perfect fit for playing the part of Maleficent, but other than that, I’m not too sure how this movie will turn out. The teaser trailer is all atmosphere and hinting, as is to be expected. Maybe I’m just a cold-hearted cynic, but until we see something more clever or interesting out of this, I think I’ll pass. Still, that Maleficent outfit looks like it leapt right out of the animation cels. Read more…
Tags: Disney, maleficent
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 15, 2013 in Cinema 
Russel Crowe is looking grim. It seems like the whole world is against him — and well, I guess it really is. Noah is Darren Aronofsky’s new biblical epic in which Crowe plays the titular character, fighting against time and the world to build an ark. You probably know the story pretty well: Noah builds an ark, fills it with animals, and the world gets destroyed so humanity can begin anew. When you think about it, it’s really quite morbid and not the children’s tale it’s usually portrayed as. The trailer plays it pretty straight, but I’m disappointed we’re not seeing any of the weirder stuff that we heard about earlier, like six-armed angels of death and fantasy creatures. That better make it to the final cut! Check out both the domestic and international trailers below, they’re very different in content. Read more…
Tags: Darren Aronofsky, Noah
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 14, 2013 in Videogames 
Bravely Default finally has a confirmed North American release: February 7, 2014. It’s not as soon as the release date in Europe, but considering how likely it was that this game would stay Japan-only as recently as early 2013, I’ll take it. The Square Enix JRPG is dropping its subtitle “Flying Fairy” and also not using the upcoming Japanese rerelease’s subtitle “For the Sequel”; however, the Western release still includes the enhancements and extras found in “For the Sequel.” Bravely Default is also getting a collector’s edition, which features 34 augmented reality cards, an art book, and a soundtrack CD; looks like the figurine will only be part of the European collector’s edition. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Bravely Default, RPG, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 14, 2013 in Animation, Cinema 
Do you remember when Michael Jordan teamed up with Bugs Bunny to play basketball against aliens? I prefer to think of Space Jam as a historical drama, because why not. Someone else out there apparently thinks so too, because they made this great video, 30 for 30: The Space Jam Game, mimicking the popular ESPN documentary series 30 for 30. They even got some major guests to give commentary! Check it out below, and if you want more, try this page of Space Jam mash-ups (“slams”), or even the original website, somehow still online! Read more…
Tags: Looney Tunes, Warner Brothers
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 13, 2013 in Videogames 
For many gamers, the rest of the month won’t be about picking up the PS4 or Xbox One to play shiny next-gen games. No, they’ll be sticking with a top-down game with cartoony 3D models. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, a “direct” sequel to the seminal The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES), is out on November 22 in North America. Because blowing a 3DS game’s graphics on a big screen doesn’t look that great, Nintendo made a mostly-live-action TV ad to promote the game. It looks cool and reminds me of a time in the 90s when ads were mostly live-action skits that were sometimes tangentially related to the game itself. Now if only the game itself looked more like this or its concept art; I’ve heard buzz that the 3D effects are great, but that art style looks primitive and almost completely charmless. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Legend of Zelda, Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 13, 2013 in Cinema, Star Wars 
Who would have thought that response to an open casting call for Star Wars Episode VII would have garnered a ridiculous response? That’s what happened in UK and Ireland, where thousands showed up in places like Bristol for a shot at two roles. Now you can submit your reel online with Cast It Talent for a chance to be in Disney’s continuation of the Star Wars franchise. You have until December 3 to get your entry in, so make it good and keep in mind that you’re potentially competing against the entire world! You can check out the descriptions of the two roles, Rachel and Thomas, below, though there’s a strong possibility that these are placeholder names. Read more…
Tags: Disney, Star Wars
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 12, 2013 in Anime, Cinema 
North American fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion have been waiting since November 17, 2012 for the latest Rebuild of Evangelion movie. The remake/reboot/sequel/whatever movie series is already three films into the planned four-film story, but the third film, Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo, has yet to receive a North American release. But this January 2014, ELEVEN ARTS and FUNimation will be screening the film. It will mostly be shown in an English dubbed format, but some showings will feature the original Japanese dub with English subtitles. Read more…
Tags: Evangelion, FUNImation
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 12, 2013 in Videogames 
So this is what it’s come to, huh? Unboxing videos are so popular that companies are not just putting out official unboxing videos, but they’re infusing them with high production values. After years of rumors and a longer previous console generation, the PS4 is launching this Friday, November 15, in North America. Sony wants to show you what you’ll be getting when you open your own box, and they’re showing you in style, reusing the set from the unboxing of Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories earlier this year. (I guess they have to cut costs somewhere.) It’s everything you’d expect to be in the box, including a mono headset, something the PS3 didn’t include by default. (That doomed the PS3 to a life without much audio chat compared to the Xbox 360, which generally included a headset.) Read more…
Tags: PS4, Sony
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 11, 2013 in Cinema, Videogames 
There was a lot of news to come out of Blizzcon, but one I found most interesting was director Duncan Jones talking about the Warcraft movie. The director of Moon and Source Code will be tackling the film, and he spoke about how the movie will focus on the origin story of orcs and humans, and the first meeting between Lothar and Durotan. It sounds like Blizzard is heavily involved in the making of the movie as well as offering input on the story and script. They did show off some concept art (below the jump) and mentioned that ILM would be creating the CG orcs. It’s currently scheduled to open December 18th 2015, which with Disney’s announcement a few days ago, now means it opens the same day as Star Wars Episode VII. Good luck! Read more…
Tags: Warcraft, World of Warcraft
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 11, 2013 in Dr. Who 
The 50th anniversary special for Doctor Who is coming up on November 23rd, so I now give you permission to get very excited. The latest trailer has a much better look at everything that’ll be going on in the special, and it looks like there is a lot. Three doctors, Daleks, and redecorations — there’s plenty here. It’ll be interesting to see how much they explain about John Hurt’s Doctor, as well as the transition to the next Doctor. Then again, I’m not a hardcore Who fan, so perhaps this has been explained thoroughly already. Anyway, check out the trailer below! Read more…
Tags: day of the doctor, Dr. Who
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 10, 2013 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Yup. Some new promotional images were sent out to hype up The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and while most of them were pretty standard, one really stood out to me: Spider-Man wearing a firefighter’s helmet. It appears he’s putting out a fire, yes, but why would he take the time to put the helmet on? Maybe we’re getting a bit more of that goofy, snarky Spider-Man I love? That’d be nice! Otherwise, there are also images of Electro (aka electric blue Jamie Foxx) and Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). We’ll also see Harry Osborn this time around ( Dane DeHaan), so I wonder if they’ll be introducing the Green Goblin soon? Read more…
Tags: The Amazing Spider-Man
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