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Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 25, 2013 in Science 
Not everyone will be able to see an aurora borealis this easily in real life, but thanks to photographer Göran Strand you can view it in your browser anytime you want. Strand used a Nikon D3s to shoot over 2400 images with a spherical lense and then merged them together into a timelapse. Put together in a browser, you can spin the view around and catch every detail in a 360 degree panorama. It’s really impressive work. I’d love to see more of this kind of thing, where people take nature and landmarks not everyone can visit and make them freely available online. And once the technology improves enough, can you imagine looking at this stuff through an Oculus Rift? I bet it’d be stunning. Click here to visit the web page or watch the video below. Read more…
Tags: Photography
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 25, 2013 in Videogames 
It was a buffet of Persona news as Atlus announced Persona games for everything. Ever. First up, they announced the much anticipated Persona 5 for PS3 next holiday. No other details aside from the announcement itself came out, though. Persona 4: Dancing All Night, on the other hand, is an unexpected Persona dancing game for PS Vita. Then Atlus also revealed Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth on 3DS, a dungeon crawler directed by Daisuke Kaneda (Etrian Odyssey 4). Lastly, they also listed a sequel to their Persona 4 fighting game spinoff, called Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold for PS3, which will arrive Summer 2014. Whew! Talk about a lot of Persona! Read more…
Tags: Atlus, Persona 4
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 24, 2013 in Videogames 
An era is over! John Carmack, one of the original founders of id Software, who was the lead programmer and helped create many iconic video games such as Doom, Wolfenstein, and Quake, has officially left that company. This is not particularly surprising, as in August he stepped down into a more distance supervisor role and join Oculus VR as their CTO. This was just the final step, as now he has changed his focus from games to hardware. It sounds like he finds the possibilities of the Oculus Rift very exciting (as do I) and wants to devote his full time to it. It’ll be interesting to see where id Software goes from here, as they haven’t really put out anything exciting in the past several years. Carmack will certainly find success wherever he goes, though! Read more…
Tags: id Software, john carmack
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 24, 2013 in Dr. Who 
Everyone is celebrating Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary… even Google! The search engine’s latest Google Doodle is a retro-styled game that takes place in their header and lets you play as any of the various Doctors. You can click to move your character around the screen,solve simple puzzles, avoid Daleks, and collect all the letters of the Google logo (obviously). It’s nothing too complex, but like most Google Doodles, it’s a heartfelt and creative little diversion. Check it out on Google’s homepage, or if you’re looking at this page in the far future and have missed it, hope over to Google’s Doodle archive where it should be archived. Read more…
Tags: Doctor Who, Google, The Internet
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 23, 2013 in Cinema 
Perhaps coming off the wave of The Hobbit’s refreshed popularity, someone finally decided to tackle a story that hadn’t been done yet. Fox Searchlight has begun working on a J.R.R. Tolkien biopic. Fox has put David Gleeson on the case to write a script and Peter Chernin will produce. It seems odd that we haven’t gotten one yet, but I’d be interested in the direction they take it. It sounds like it will focus a lot on Tolkien’s experiences in World War I, which has the potential for some really exciting stuff. Though, the real question is: who should play the author? I’m trying to think of good actors that resemble Tolkien, but none are coming to mind. I wonder! Read more…
Tags: J.R.R. Tolkien
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 23, 2013 in Videogames 
We haven’t had too much luck with video games based off of the Game of Thrones series. The last one was pretty lackluster and didn’t really do anything interesting. However, our luck might be about to change: IGN is running that they’ve heard from multiple sources that Telltale Games (the makers of the famed Walking Dead games) have gotten the license to Game of Thrones. IGN admits that they’re not sure whether the license is for the books or the TV show, though, and having the rights to the HBO version would allow them to use the likenesses of the characters, presumably. However, it could also tell a story that avoids any characters from the books, too. There’s a lot of possibilities here, so I hope we hear something soon. Read more…
Tags: A Song of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones, Telltale Games
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 22, 2013 in Videogames 
Team Fortress 2, despite releasing just over six years ago, is still going strong. A committed player base and continuous updates from Valve adding new items, weapons, and maps have made it the (in my opinion) best free-to-play shooter on the market. Oh, and yes, hats. The latest update, the Two Cities Update, for TF2 arrives today and will add new maps to the popular co-op defense mode, Mann Vs. Machine, along with new cosmetic items that allow you to deck out your items with colorful effects. With these Killstreak Kits, your weapon can glow and you can show off how good you are and killing “tiny baby men.” At least check out the site for more of Valve’s trademark humor and promotional stuff for the update which is absolutely hilarious. They released a new animated short, which is always cool! Read more…
Tags: Team Fortress, Valve
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
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