Since the late 70s Ryuichi Sakamoto has been a musical powerhouse of J-pop and numerous film soundtracks. He got his start playing the keyboards with the pioneering electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) from 1978 until the group broke up in 1983. After that he went solo and also produced records for quite a few other artists in addition to working on movie scores. One of his first soundtracks was for the 1983 film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. Of course as an anime fanboy my favorite from the 80s was the soundtrack to the 1987 film Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 17, 2012 in Animation
It’s hard to believe but twenty years ago The Real World debuted on MTV and slowly the cable channel which was beloved by a generation went from from showing creative music videos to bland reality television. But before that there was a golden age of a cable channel which dared to be a bit artsy and take some chances. Even though the channel started out with small budgets from the early days they always had animated bumper spots that were just as entertaining as the music videos which were showcased. Here are a small selection of those spots which made a generation tell tell their parents that “I Want My MTV”: Read more…
Talk about growth spurts. Close to 900 people crowded into a midtown Manhattan hotel ballroom at last weekend’s Bronycon II, vs. perhaps 1/3 that number at its September predecessor. The new venue – a long corridor and ballroom at NYC’s Hotel Pennsylvania (the fading epitome of 1940’s swank) – might’ve been bigger than the Chinatown loft where the September con was held, but was nonetheless instantly overcrowded. After one made their way past the undermanned registration desk, the next bottleneck to brave was a narrow doorway leading to the ballroom. (When you have dealer’s tables, an autograph line and random attendees all trying to occupy the same space at the time, traffic can’t help but gum up a bit.) Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jan 16, 2012 in Tech, Videogames
I love the concept of tablet gaming, I really do, but like many of you, I find the touch controls absolutely maddening at times. This is especially true for any game or app that requires the use of a directional pad. Thankfully, the chaps at Ten One Design could read my mind. Introducing the Fling Joystick and Fling mini — a simple analog nub that sticks to your tablet, or smartphone and holds in place via small translucent suction cups. Read more…
The BBC has never been known for breaking the bank when it comes to special effects, but is that such a bad thing? Take this awesome clip from the early days of Doctor Who, starring Jon Pertwee as The Third Doctor, for example. We were decades away from Jurassic Park and animatronics, but that couldn’t stop the BBC. They need dinosaurs, so they made it happen, and it was glorious — terrible, even hilarious, but glorious nonetheless. In fact, if this clip alone hasn’t convinced you to stomach classic Who‘s terrible acting (often on the part of his companions,) then I’m not sure what will. If, on the other hand, you can’t get enough of these killer special effects, and you wish to brave the acting, some of those classic episodes are still available via Netflix instant streaming.
I’ve always loved the design of Isaac Clarke’s suit from Dead Space. It has a strong, iconic look to it that you don’t see very often. Maybe it’s just because he slightly resembles a cranky old grandpa of the Daft Punk guys… In any case, Sideshow Collectibles agrees on the awesomeness of Isaac Clark and is releasing a 16″ high statue of him, ready to take on whatever alien menace he might encounter next. Read more…
You may remember me mentioning an awesome Skeletor/Darth Vader mask a while back. It was part of HalloweenCostumes.com’s Vader Helmet Art Contest, and guess what? Now you have a chance to own it, or one of many other fantastic Vader helmets that are going up for auction. 24 artists were selected to create a custom Darth Vader helmet, and on February 7th, they’ll go up for auction on HalloweenCostume’s site. All proceeds will be going to the Midwest Art Catalyst and The Miracle League of North Mankato. Click through for a gallery of some of the helmets! Read more…
If you’re a Persona fan, Bandai’s D-Arts series probably just made your day: take a look at this stellar figure of Thanatos from Persona 3. They did a great job replicating him in plastic, especially the coffins and chains above him. There’s not a whole lot of extra features listed for it, but when the figure looks this good, I’m sure I need them. If you’re looking to pre-order him, be sure to do so soon. Read more…
Some of you may be excited for the upcoming February re-release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 3D. I don’t really fall into that camp, but I’m still interested in the process behind it and the fan reaction to it. I like observing pop culture and fanbases. I also enjoy a solid poster, and with movie releases come movie posters. So what have we got to promote Episode I 3D? 2 cool posters and 3 over-Photoshopped posters. Read more…
Now this is really neat: a Mario Question Mark Block lamp! This stylish lamp was made by Pete Betcher in his TheBackPackShoppe on Etsy and is probably the coolest thing I’ve seen today. This lamp looks like an official product, and is probably the best thing to put on your end table since… well, anything! You can pick it up for $60 on their Etsy page. I’d recommend checking out their other neat products, like Pokeball coasters or a Tetris-themed drinking glass. Fantastic stuff! Read more…
Some things never change. The internet will always create parody videos of pop culture, and some of them end up being funny, too! And in this video, Skyrim is still the same in the year 2012. Sure, technology has advanced, but pickpocketing and placing baskets on people’s heads are still the preferred way of doing business, apparently. I’ll let the the Gro Pro Bros explain. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jan 12, 2012 in Tech, Videogames
This is kind of cool news for those of you like me who can’t stand heavy handhelds. Nintendo’s Masahiro Sakurai recently revealed that the upcoming 3DS title Kid Icarus Uprising will come packed with a special stand to help keep the system steady while you play. Truth is, I love the concept behind Nintendo’s 3DS, even if I don’t really own too many games for it, but unfortunately, the system is a bit hefty, especially when I want to play for any extended period of time. Although I wasn’t looking forward to Kid Icarus Uprising so much, having played a demo at last year’s San Diego Comic Con International, this little addition might just change my mind. Keeping the system balanced could potentially improve the gameplay, and I’m sure I’ll be making use of the stand for future titles.
I’ve never been big on owning box sets while a franchise is still on-going, but in this instance, I might make an exception. It’s true that James Bond has always remained a controversial character, and while he’s often described as misogynistic, sexist, and even a tad juvenile, he remains one of the most iconic heroes to ever grace the silver screen. For the first time ever, all twenty two 007 films will be made available for Blu-ray, nine of which have never been released in high definition — that is, until now.
As many of you are already aware, Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Next Level is set for release later this month. The Blu-ray sampler includes three recently remastered HD episodes from the series, including the full feature length version of the series premiere “Encounter at Farpoint.” If you’re wondering what to expect, check out this sweet side-by-side comparison of the original and remastered version. The colors really pop, and you can tell they spent some time polishing those special effects. I’d like to believe the changes could make that entire first season bearable, but short of inventing a time machine and rewriting the scripts, its not likely. Nevertheless, they’ll also be including “Sins of the Father,” as well as the critically acclaimed “The Inner Light,” both of which are exponentially better both in terms of writing and pacing. The disc goes on sale January 31st, and will retail for just $21.99.
Recently, over 60,000 free ebooks were removed from the Nook’s digital bookstore, and fewer titles are appearing every day. Why, might you ask? It’s not Barnes & Noble’s fault, but Amazon could have something to do with it. It should come as no surprise, especially considering their history of aggressive marketing and bully-boy tactics, but Amazon recently negotiated a deal with authors, offering to instantly add their novels to the Kindle’s lending library in exchange for their exclusivity. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jan 10, 2012 in Videogames
To be fair, I’m not sure what to think of Cyanide Studio’s upcoming Game of Thrones RPG. Seeing as A Song of Fire and Ice is a bit of a hot commodity right now, we would expect the license to land in the hands of an experienced developer. However, that didn’t happen. Instead, in what I can only imagine was a stroke of luck on their part, Cynaide Studios will be delivering several games based on the popular series, the first of which will be a third-person roleplaying adventure. Entitled simply Game of Thrones, the plot follows two survivors of Robert’s Rebellion as their decisions lead them on separate paths throughout the land, only to once again unite them against common enemies in an attempt to save the kingdom. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jan 10, 2012 in Dr. Who, Fandom
Every once in awhile, I come across a TeeFury design that I just can’t pass up. More often than not, they relate to Doctor Who, due to the lack of awesome Doctor Who merchandise we get here in the States. For example, today’s design features an beautiful ad for the Sonic Screwdriver Mark VI, which you might recognize as the model used by Tennant and Eccleston throughout the 2005-2009 seasons. While I love how classy it looks, especially against that background, I’m not so sure I’d look good in it — cream really isn’t my color. Girls, on the other hand, will luck out with a white alternative. Why only two colors? Great question. All I know is that the shirt will only be on sale for the next 24 hours, so if you really want one, don’t wait.
Like many of you, I had my reservations about Spielberg and Moffat’s The Adventures of Tintin. Based on Georges Remi’s classic comics, the film served as an attempt to revive the series with state-of-the-art 3D animation. After having the pleasure of seeing the film in theaters, those reservations were laid to rest. While the 3D animation may initially appeal to kids, the films plot, littered with a healthy dose of violence and alcoholism, befits a more mature audience — especially those of us who grew up with the comics. Back in November, Weta released a hardcover coffee table art book giving fans a glimpse at the creative process behind the film. Now they’re taking it a step further with its digital release.
I know we’ve all been biting our nails over this, but fans of NBC’s Community may sleep a little easier knowing the show will definitely return this Spring. NBC’s entertainment chairman Robert Greenblat made the announcement as they kicked off their portion of the Television Critics Association 2012 Winter Press Tour last Friday. As you may recall, NBC pulled Community mid-season to make room for 30 Rock, which premieres later this week. While we had heard that it could possibly return in the spring or even later this summer, there had been no official confirmation until now. That said, Greenblat was quick to point out that the series has yet to be renewed for a fourth season, and that the network will likely wait to make a decision. Again, it’s not exactly what I wanted to hear, but it’s far from “the darkest timeline,” at least for now. Speaking of which, Star Trek 2 officially starts filming this Thursday and should continue through the next four months — about time, don’t you think?
Ever wonder if droids felt things too? In the touchy-feely way? Paperbeatscissors, aka Chris Gerringer, wondered that too and recently made a series of 8 prints featuring iconic Star Wars droids and some thoughtful type. These are pretty unique, and I love the solid bright, saturated colors. Looking for something a little more introspective to hang on your wall? These might be the ticket. Read more…
The back of my mind is screaming out, “No, no, this isn’t real!” But if it’s fake it’s the best fake I’ve seen in a long time. And let’s face it, I don’t think any of us are that surprised here: Sonic is featured in a Progressive Car Insurance commercial. I love the guy, so it’s kind of sad to see this… and yet, amusing. Read more…
What have you been doing for the past 6 months? Working? Saving? Well Sven Junga has been building an enormous replica of the Hyperion battle cruiser from Starcraft II. In my opinion? Totally worth it. It’s incredibly detailed, all the way down to the small windows on the front. Tons of “greebles” (the LEGO builder term for the small technical details all over the surface of the ship) cover the body of the vessel to help make it look authentic. Amazing job, Sven. Read more…
Photographer Dale May is currently having an excellent exhibition at the Samuel Owen Gallery in Connecticut (it runs until Jan 19th), called LEGO WARS. Tons of fantastic pieces are on display and for sale, but the one that caught my eye was the X-Ray Trooper. It’s a really neat setup, it’s even displayed on a lightbox for full authenticity! It makes me strangely happy to know that there is a LEGO Star Wars gallery on display in this world. Read more…
A little bit of pop-art never hurt anyone, especially not these great-looking prints from BiscottoCotto, featuring tons of different systems, from the Dreamcast to the Gameboy. These look like great additions for an arcade room or any place you’re trying to brighten up a bit. They allow for some customization as well, so you can pick your background color if you wish. They’re going for $15 for a single print on BiscottoCotto’s Etsy page. Read more…
