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Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 19, 2015 in Videogames 
At Nintendo’s last Nintendo Direct, the Japanese Direct snuck in a little downloadable game announcement that went unnoticed by many: Hakoboy! It’s an eShop game by Kirby developer HAL Laboratory, and features a tiny box-like character called… are you ready for this? …Cubey. Essentially, it’s a puzzle-platformer in which Cubey can create blocks from his square body to make bridges, stairs, walls, or just hold down a button. It looks very simple to pick up, but I imagine it’ll get deviously clever very quick. Also: it looks incredibly easy to localize. You better bring this over here, Nintendo of America! Check out the trailer below! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Nintendo Direct
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 19, 2015 in Cinema 
I don’t have anything against reboots per se, but when so many films coming out are reboots or sequels, it feels like losing one isn’t too big of a deal. Screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith had been attached to a Gremlins reboot a while back, and since then we’ve heard just about zero. Seth said, “I think we just ran out of steam.” Hmm, maybe its for the best? He continues, mentioning Steven Spielberg and director Chris Columbus: “It’s something I would love to come back to, but right now Steven’s making two movies back to back and Chris Columbus is busy. We’re all taking a five-minute break on that.” That’s ok! I think we’ll make do in the meantime. Read more…
Tags: gremlins
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 18, 2015 in Star Wars 
A young boy from Georgia, Liam Porter, born without an arm, recently was given quite the surprise. He wanted a cool-looking Star Wars-themed Clone Trooper prosthetic arm… so what happened? The 501st Legion hooked up with the man 3D printing it and set up a whole event to give it to Liam. This involved several troopers being present and giving him his own helmet to wear too! This is really awesome. From The Augusta Chronicle article: “‘They want it to look as superhero-ish or as robotic as possible,’ Peterson said. ‘To them, it is just cool. And it actually frees us up a lot because now we can feel free to try to experiment and do different things. Like, hey, why not put a clamp on a hand? It’s just a tool anyway.'” Amazing work! Check out a video of the event below. Read more…
Tags: 501st Legion
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 18, 2015 in Television 
Top Gear and Lego bricks are one of the more unlikely combinations I thought I’d see, but here we are! Lego has a new line of licensed cars toys titled Speed Champions. It features car brands like Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, and others. To promote it, they created a CGI trailer for the new season of Top Gear, featuring the crew messing around backstage as they try to put the Stig back together. The new cars themselves are nice looking, but feature lots of stickers, which makes the Lego fan in me go “blegh!” This isn’t too awful of a crossover, though! I wonder if we’ll ever see official Top Gear Lego sets? Read more…
Tags: Lego, Top Gear
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 17, 2015 in Hobbies and Collections, Star Wars 
Wow, talk about impressive. Lego fan Aaron Fiskum has put together a detailed and quite large X-34 Landspeeder, styled similarly to the highly collectable Lego UCS series of Star Wars sets. It measures about two feet long and features almost 3000 pieces! I’m really blown away by the amount of care put into this, and according to The Brothers Brick, this is Fiskum’s second model he’s made. Wow! I love the curves on the engines and nose of the speeder. Plus, that cockpit looks pretty roomy too! Check out more images below, then stop by his Flickr page to see the entire gallery. Read more…
Tags: Lego
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 17, 2015 in Television 
Game of Thrones in coming to the big screen… the biggest screen, actually. Starting January 29th, for one week Imax theaters will have several Game of Thrones showings, which will be episodes 9 and 10 of season 4, followed by a new trailer for season 5. These two episodes (“The Watchers on the Wall” and “The Children”) are some of the biggest showpieces for Game of Thrones, and will probably be pretty neat to see on the big screen. Obviously this is really meant for the hardcore fans, and as such they’ll also be giving out two posters at the screenings: one (“The Watchers on the Wall”) at all AMC theaters, and another (“The Children”) at all other theaters. I’ve included the posters below, but be warned: they feature major spoilers! Tickets are on sale now here. Read more…
Tags: Game of Thrones, IMAX
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 16, 2015 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Rumors are fun! You also can’t always take them seriously. But this one has some heft behind it: over the past month or two we’ve seen tons of leaked Sony emails and an abundance of rumors that all point to Sony being in talks with Marvel. They want to do something with Spider-Man… but as usual with giant corporations, they’re getting hung up on all the little details. However, Da7e from Latino Review is reporting that according to their sources, the Marvel and Sony deal has gone through, and Spider-Man will feature in Avengers: Infinity War Part 1. It will not feature Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man. Still, it’s hard to really believe this until we see it, because hey: it still sounds almost impossible for the two behemoths to agree. But I sure do hope that this all works out in the end! Read more…
Tags: Marvel, Sony, Spider-man
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 16, 2015 in Cinema 
Don’t lie, dear readers: I know you’ve all been on the edge of your seat waiting to see which films get snubbed this year! Which of your favorite films will be totally ignored, or related to a simple Best Sound Mixing nomination?! Well, I’ve included the full list below, but there are a few curious choices here. One omission of note is the lack of The LEGO Movie in the Best Animated Picture category (although Isao Takahata’s The Tale of Princess Kaguya did thankfully get a nod). Another surprise is the number of noms for American Sniper, which is probably at the top of my list titled “Films I Couldn’t Care Less About.” Check out some salient tweets and the full list below! Read more…
Tags: Academy Awards, The Oscars
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 15, 2015 in Anime, Cinema 
Disney has first pass at releasing Studio Ghibli’s films, but lately it seems that if Hayao Miyazaki isn’t directing, they’re not as interested. GKIDS stepped in to release From Up on Poppy Hill and The Tale of Princess Kaguya. It seems they’re doing it one more time for When Marnie Was There, the most recent and possibly last film from the famed anime studio. GKIDS is planning a spring 2015 theatrical release and the usual award submissions; the distributor also purchased the home video and TV rights, so expect a Blu-ray release later this year. Read more…
Tags: GKIDS, Studio Ghibli
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 15, 2015 in Videogames 
Nintendo held their first Nintendo Direct of the year, announcing their upcoming games for the first half of the year. Sadly, there wasn’t much Wii U news, but that’s because of the 3DS focus, since there is a new piece of hardware. After an annoyingly long wait and well past the holiday shopping season, Nintendo is finally bringing the New 3DS to America after Japan (and strangely Australia) got to enjoy it. The system has improved head-tracking 3D, more power under the hood, a faster OS, Amiibo/NFC support, two more shoulder buttons, and a c-stick (right stick) nub. (An Amiibo adapter is expected for older 3DS models.) Read more…
Tags: Amiibo, New 3DS, Nintendo, Nintendo Direct, Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 14, 2015 in Anime, Cinema, Videogames 
The theatrical adaptation of Persona 3 continues with Persona 3 The Movie #3: Falling Down. The anime movie will be released in Japan on April 4, only a few months from now. It’s not yet clear whether there will be a fourth film or if Falling Down is the final film in the series, but judging by this new teaser, we’re getting close to the end. Meanwhile, we’re still waiting on a Western release for the second movie in the series, Midsummer Knight’s Dream. Seeing as it will be out on Blu-ray and DVD in Japan on March 11, I predict a release later this year. Read more…
Tags: Atlus, Persona 3
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 14, 2015 in Cinema, Star Wars
After watching the Star Wars prequels, I think everyone agrees that the new Star Wars trilogy is safer in any hands but those of George Lucas. And yet, if things had happened differently, we could now be anticipating/dreading Lucas’s version of Star Wars Episode VII (now Star Wars: The Force Awakens). Lucas confirmed he had begun planning the next three Star Wars films, but that he only planned to direct the first one. Episode VII would have been released in May 2015, then he would have sold Lucasfilm, perhaps so he wouldn’t feel tempted to direct. But Lucas realized this trilogy would be another ten-year commitment, which is admittedly a ton of work. Disney entered the picture at the right time, and Lucas realized it would be better for him not to develop the new trilogy at all, leaving it completely to others. Of course, Lucas remains a consultant on the movie, but maybe that’s how it should be: offering some new ideas or reference that the actual creative team can choose to use or ignore as they please. Read more…
Tags: Disney, Episode VII, George Lucas, Star Wars
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 13, 2015 in Comic Books, Television 
Unlike the shaky future of DC’s shared movie universe, DC’s shared TV universe is doing great. Arrow is getting a fourth season, while Flash is getting a second. But that’s not enough, because at least one more spin-off is coming, with the possibility of another in the wings. First is Vixen, an animated series to be streamed on CW Seed. Vixen was intended to be DC’s first African female superhero with her own comic series, but after that was aborted, she showed up later, becoming a member of the Justice League and Suicide Squad. Meanwhile, Brandon Routh’s Ray Palmer, a.k.a. the Atom may see his own show, which seemed obvious once he appeared in Arrow‘s third season. Nothing is confirmed yet, but Arrow execs and WB’s president have a “general concept,” as long as there isn’t “audience fatigue.” I’m just happy to see that Routh isn’t on Hollywood’s crap-list like he was after Superman Returns. Read more…
Tags: DC Comics, Green Arrow, Warner Brothers
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 13, 2015 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Were you already sold on Avengers: Age of Ultron after the first trailer? If so, don’t bother watching this second trailer. It’s got a lot of new, tantalizing footage, but all that will do is spoil you a bit more for the actual film. But if you were somehow on the fence, or you just don’t care, then soak up more shots of returning characters, big action, and dozens of little things to speculate endlessly on. Look, Age of Ultron doesn’t need much more promotion at this point beyond the final weeks before its release. It’s the sequel to one of the biggest films of all time, so people are going to go see it. But if you can’t get enough, expect more trailers and hints in the coming months. Read more…
Tags: Avengers: Age of Ultron, Marvel
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 12, 2015 in Cinema, Hobbies and Collections 
Awards season is coming up, so a few Blu-ray featurettes are starting to show up online as part of the promotion cycle. One of the more interesting ones I’ve caught is a behind-the-scenes look at some of the CGI and real-life LEGOs that were used in The LEGO Movie. It might surprise you how many real LEGOs were used in the film! It’s a pretty cool process and the amount of care and detail put into everything is astounding. I hope that any future Lego movies can have the same amount of attention and love put into them… and not devolve into quick cash-ins. Video embedded below! Read more…
Tags: Lego, The LEGO Movie
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 12, 2015 in Fandom, Hobbies and Collections 
When I saw these adorable Dinobot plush toys on Topless Robot I simply had to share them with you here. However, as I was writing this article, they sold out! So I suppose now I’m just dangling a tantalizing treat right in front of you. Don’t fret too much, though! In addition to these, Etsy seller MythFit Creations also has plenty of other cute Transformers along with several Deadpool, TMNT, How To Train your Dragon, and Catbug-themed plushes. Check out the rest of their work here, and I bet you’ll find something cuddly to add to your collection! Read more…
Tags: Dinobots, Etsy, plush toys, Transformers
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 11, 2015 in Cinema 
We’re starting to get a clearer picture of what Phil Lord and Chris Miller have in store for the upcoming Lego Batman Movie. In a recent interview, the writing and directing duo spoke about the film and Lord said, “I think the movie is really exciting because it’s about, ‘Can Batman be happy?’ … Batman is the ultimate in white people problems.” This is probably true, and definitely funny angle to take for a Batman movie. Miller revealed before that “every era of Batman filmmaking will be acknowledged” which implies we could see cameos or references to Christian Bale, Adam West, and Michael Keaton… which would be grand, I think. “He’s like, ‘oh, I’m so rich and handsome, women like me and I’ve got a Maclaren! Something about my parents!” Read more…
Tags: Batman, Lego, The LEGO Movie
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 11, 2015 in Star Wars 
You may remember that Book of Eli scriptwriter Gary Whitta had been signed on to write the first standalone Star Wars film (which would be directed by Godzilla’s Gareth Edwards). Now, Whitta has tweeted that his first draft is done, and he’s off to work on other projects. Quite a few folks interpreted this as a firing, but no: it’s simply an amicable parting of ways. Whitta finished the first draft, and now Disney will presumably hire someone to wrap it up and finish the project. This happens all the times on movies… but hey, because this is Star Wars we’re talking about, way more people are paying attention to every little detail. The last rumors said this film was to be a heist film in which bounty hunters were hired to steal the Death Star plans. Sounds neat! Read more…
Tags: Gareth Edwards, Gary Whitta
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 10, 2015 in Cinema 
Liam Neeson has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance as an action hero thanks to Taken and other similar films — especially since he seems to start in two or more every year. The latest one of these is Run All Night, in which Neeson plays a mob hitman who must protect his son from waves of violent gangsters after he witnessed something he wasn’t supposed to see. Drama! The idea that it takes place over one night could be enough of a hook, though. Also in Neeson news: he says he wants to play Qui-Gon Jinn again! “I don’t know [how he would return], unless you went back in time or he becomes a hologram or something. He’s a Jedi, anything could happen, it’s Star Wars world!” Yes, Mr. Neeson, it is Star Wars world. How about a movie where Qui-Gon needs to rescue his family from Coruscant mobsters? Hmm? Read more…
Tags: Liam Neeson, Star Wars
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 10, 2015 in Cinema 
Neill Blomkamp has been in the news recently with his shelved Alien film idea, but never mind that — a film he’s finished is coming out soon. Chappie is a robot with a revolution intelligence and the ability to think and feel freely. Of course, not everybody thinks that’s a great idea, as you might expect. There’s a great cast here: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Sigourney Weaver, Hugh Jackman, and Ninja & Yo-Landi Vi$$er. Yes, that’s correct: Die Antwoord is in this movie. This trailer is way more action-heavy than the previous cutesy one. Perhaps that may bring in more mainstream audiences? Check out the trailer below! Chappie comes out March 6th. Read more…
Tags: Chappie, neill blomkamp
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 9, 2015 in Tech 
Last month, a report came out of Kyodo saying that Nintendo was looking into free-form displays made by Sharp for their next handheld. According to the rumor, Nintendo was particularly interested in a circular display with a hole in the center — essentially a doughnut shape. At CES, Sharp brought their latest prototypes to show off and The Verge got some photos, so take a look to possibly get a glimpse at what Nintendo could do next. Most of Sharp’s examples are car-themed, as their custom displays could easily fit into the unique shapes of a car dashboard. My current theory is Nintendo either wants to put a screen around buttons and joysticks, or perhaps this could be used on their sleep-monitoring device they’re planning as well? Read more…
Tags: Nintendo, Sharp
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 9, 2015 in Videogames 
In one of Nintendo’s smartest team-ups in a long time, popular puzzle game Puzzle & Dragons will be mashed up with Nintendo’s mascot in Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Edition for 3DS. This will sell like gangbusters in Japan, as the mobile game (and its handheld console games like Puzzle & Dragons Z) is one of the biggest games out right now. It has already been confirmed for a US and Europe release via the official Puzzle & Dragons Twitter account, so don’t fret, P&D fans! This’ll have much more stuff going on than the free mobile game, but you can check that out for free if you haven’t experience P&D yet. Trailer below, along with the reason Nintendo made this partnership. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Puzzle & Dragons
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 8, 2015 in Videogames 
After the repulsive, outdated mess that was Duke Nukem Forever, maybe it’s best that 3D Realms merely rerelease older Duke Nukem games until they, Gearbox, or whoever is making the next game have a good way to adapt Duke for a modern audience. It’s not that Duke Nukem 3D isn’t crude as well, but contextualized within the 90s mindframe and technology, it’s much more digestible. (Well, as digestible as the 90s could be.) With that in mind, check out Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition, which includes an enhanced version of Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition, three originally-user-created expansions, and the usual new bells and whistles. It’s out on PC, PS3, and PS Vita, the latter two offering Cross-Buy; if you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you can grab it for free right now! Read more…
Tags: Duke Nukem Forever
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 8, 2015 in Cinema, Television 
I thought for sure that we wouldn’t see Marvel’s Daredevil series until May at the earliest, or more likely sometime this summer. But no, Marvel has announced that all thirteen hour-long episodes will be available on Netflix starting on April 10. That’s soon! Knowing Marvel, they’ll probably be starting to slowly drop more teasers for the show until we finally start seeing some trailers and promotion, maybe as soon as February. I’m curious to see how this may fit in with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which will still be airing at that time, and Avengers: Age of Ultron, which releases less than a month later. But as usual, I’m most interested to see Marvel introduce a character I don’t know much about, having steered clear of the poorly-rated Ben Affleck film. Read more…
Tags: Daredevil, Marvel, Netflix
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